[Sports Day] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]
The footrace event, the climax of any sports day! It gets everyone fired up—both the kids running and the adults watching.
And to make the race even more exciting, you can’t go without the right BGM.
Here, we’ve put together a selection of recommended songs for footrace events.
From timeless classics you’ve surely heard before to the latest buzzworthy J-pop hits, we’ve curated tracks that people of all generations can enjoy.
Every song is full of sprinting energy and is sure to double the excitement of the competition! Use this as a guide to help bring your sports day to life!
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- Top Songs to Hype Up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals [2026]
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- [Sports Day] Entrance songs that will hype the crowd! A comprehensive roundup from classics to the latest hits
- Songs that hype up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals: Japanese Music / J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026]
- Recommended exit songs for a sports day: a curated selection that perfectly suits a brisk, running exit!
- Recommended for sports days and recreational events! Easy-to-dance Disney classics and popular dance songs
- [Sports Day BGM] A selection of classic tunes that liven up the venue
- Get Fired Up! A Collection of Anime Songs to Hype Up Your Sports Day and Athletic Festival
- [March] Carefully selected popular songs recommended for entrance and exit at sports days and athletic festivals!
- [2026] Curated J-POP to Energize Sports Days and Athletic Festivals! Also Great as Entrance Music
- Sing and dance along to popular songs! Recommended hits from kids’ TV shows.
[Sports Day] Songs that fit sprint races. Tunes that make kids want to run [Classics & J-POP] (91–100)
The Nutcracker – TrepakPyotr Tchaikovsky
“The Nutcracker – Trepak” is one of the ballet pieces composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
Trepak is also known as the Russian Dance and represents the dance of the barley sugar fairy.
If this piece is meant to depict the dance, you can imagine some pretty vigorous movement! With its strong sense of speed, it’s perfect for scenes like dashes or relays.
If you’re looking for classical background music, how about this piece?
Soldier, run.B’z
This song became very famous alongside the Japan national rugby team’s rise.
It’s the song used in the Lipovitan D commercials.
Those ads were played frequently during breaks in the Japan rugby team’s matches.
Since it’s a sports-themed song, I think it fits well for school sports days, too.
Also, the lyrics aren’t limited to rugby-specific content.
B’z are an artist widely recognized across different age groups, and their vocals are distinctive.
The guitar performance is cool as well, making it a perfect song to hype up a crowd.
Let’s give it a tryWANIMA
WANIMA has lots of upbeat, catchy songs that are great for sports days.
Among them, “Yatte Miyou” feels perfect as background music for events.
Since it’s based on the English nursery rhyme “The Picnic” (Teddy Bears’ Picnic), even parents who don’t know the band might think, “I’ve heard this before!”
idolYOASOBI
A track marked by exhilarating, fast-paced sound and powerful vocals.
It feels like it captures the very heat of a footrace.
Released digitally in April 2023 as the opening theme for the anime “Oshi no Ko,” it sparked major buzz.
With lyrics depicting the front and back, the light and shadow of idols, this song will make anyone want to run at full speed.
Play it at a sports day, and it’s sure to bring athletes and spectators together in excitement.
Paired with the children’s vibrant energy, it’s bound to become an unforgettable memory.
Polka: “Thunderclap and Lightning”Johann Strauss II
As the title suggests, this is a very powerful piece.
Johann Strauss II composed it for the Artists’ Association “Hesperus.” While the opening might make it seem tense, the overall mood is actually very bright.
It’s also a familiar track often used as background music at sports days, so many people may have heard it.
The cymbals and bass drum stand out vividly, lifting the energy not only of the runners but also the audience.
It’s a highly recommended piece that really gets you pumped up when you listen to it!
Freak It! ft. Tokyo Ska Paradise OrchestraMAN WITH A MISSION
It’s a lively track that blends a high-velocity rock sound with ska elements.
Created through a collaboration between MAN WITH A MISSION and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra in February 2018, the song expresses a burning fighting spirit and a will to charge into the future.
Its party-ready, fiery sound and powerful message encouraging free, unrestrained ideas and actions make a strong impression.
Chosen as the official theme song for Super Rugby’s Sunwolves and included on the album “Chasing the Horizon,” this piece has captivated many as a go-to track to energize sports scenes, parties, and of course, school sports day relays.
InfernoMrs. GREEN APPLE
This song, used as the opening theme for the anime Fire Force, conveys a sense of speed from the very first drum beats and a feeling that something is about to begin.
In events where momentum is crucial—like cavalry battles—it will surely boost athletes’ motivation with a “Let’s go!” spirit.
In fact, the song encapsulates both transience and passion, asking what meaning we find in a life that will one day end and how we live with that awareness.
It’s an ideal track for spending your school days—a youth that will inevitably come to an end—with burning intensity.
