Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

[Sports Day] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

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!

[Sports Day] Songs that match footraces. Tunes that make kids want to run [Classics & J‑Pop] (1–10)

LOVE 2000NEW!tsuru and kame

Tsuru and Kame “LOVE 2000” Official Music Video

LOVE 2000NEW!tsuru and kame

This is the single released in January 2026 as the theme song for the film “Pure Love, Bring It On!” It’s performed by Tsuru and Kame, a limited-time unit featuring Jutaro Yamanaka from M!LK and Aloha Takamatsu from Bullet Train.

Boldly reimagined with a pop sensibility, this work is an arranged cover of a classic that was a massive hit around 2000.

The straightforward melody and sense of speed of the original are infused with the tactile feel of contemporary dance-pop, making the powerful beat stand out.

Set against a story about the leaders of rival high schools, the sound brims with momentum and a provocative euphoria—perfect for a tug-of-war where fighting spirit blazes.

It will provide a positive driving force in moments when you sync with your teammates and give it your all.

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Double Double FIGHT!NEW!CANDY TUNE

[MV] CANDY TUNE “Bai Bai FIGHT!”

Double Double FIGHT!NEW!CANDY TUNE

How about a cheer song that instantly brightens the atmosphere of a school sports day? It’s a track by CANDY TUNE, born from the idol project KAWAII LAB., released as a digital-only single in April 2024.

The uplifting lyrics, depicting a spirit of getting back up again and again and continuing to take on challenges without giving up, are especially striking.

In 2025, it rapidly gained attention thanks to going viral on TikTok.

Its catchy melody and energetic sound make it perfect as BGM for events like sprints and relays where kids give their all.

Why not send your cheers along with the spirited vocals?

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LuminousNEW!Aina ji Endo

AiNA THE END / Luminous [Official Music Video] (TV Anime ‘ONE PIECE’ opening theme song)

LuminousNEW!Aina ji Endo

If you want to boost the excitement of a tug-of-war, an emotional and powerful pop song is the way to go.

This track, sung by AiNA THE END, was released in April 2026 and chosen as the opening theme for the hugely popular anime ONE PIECE’s Elbaf arc.

Following the album RUBY POP, this work became an important release.

It carries a self-empowering message about moving forward with unwavering conviction while accepting one’s doubts.

The husky, body-warm vocals and the exhilarating, rock-tinged sound perfectly match scenes that are heating up.

How about using it as BGM for the intense events at a school sports day?

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[Sports Day] Songs that are perfect for races: tracks that make kids want to run [Classics & J‑Pop] (11–20)

lilacMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Lilac” Official Music Video

lilacMrs. GREEN APPLE

A work that delicately portrays the radiance and bitterness of youth, as well as the conflicts that come with growing up, was released by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE in April 2024.

Gently wrapping bittersweet memories and the dawn of new love, the song has been selected as the opening theme for the TV Tokyo anime “Oblivion Battery,” winning the hearts of listeners across generations.

It strikes a superb balance between a powerful melody riding on a brisk rhythm and lyrics that finely depict the inner heart.

Within Mrs.

GREEN APPLE’s characteristically bright, pop sound, the anxieties and hopes unique to youth—and the way we face ourselves—are skillfully interwoven, making it a motivating anthem for practice ahead of school sports days and athletic festivals.

At the 66th Japan Record Awards, it won the Grand Prize, marking the first-ever back-to-back victory by a band.

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AIZONEW!King Gnu

AIZO

AIZONEW!King Gnu

King Gnu, who lead the music scene with their alternative sound and pop sensibilities.

AIZO, themed around conflicting emotions of love and hatred and an urban sense of restlessness, is a rock tune whose breathless, whirlwind development is its biggest draw.

Chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Shibuya Insurrection Part 1, the track was released digitally in January 2026.

Despite its technical arrangement that blends synth bass with live instruments, it boasts overwhelming initial velocity and driving power.

Its hard-hitting, high-attack sound brims with speed—perfect for a heated relay race! It’s sure to stoke the athletes’ fighting spirit and instantly elevate the energy of the entire venue.

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Curtain callNEW!Yuuri

Curtain call

Curtain callNEW!Yuuri

A blazing rock anthem by Yuuri that also drew attention as an anime theme song.

It was selected as the opening theme for Cour 2 of Season 7 of the TV anime My Hero Academia and released in July 2024.

Its emotional sound seems to powerfully push forward those who keep moving ahead despite getting hurt.

Yuuri’s earnest, powerhouse vocals and the melody that surges toward the chorus are simply irresistible.

It’s a perfect fit for moments when the excitement in the venue peaks, such as the latter half of a relay where the baton is being passed.

It will surely fire up the athletes’ determination not to lose and add a dramatic flair to a heated race!

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Limit-Break x SurvivorNEW!Hikawa Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi Hikawa / Limit-Break x Survivor – from the DVD “Kiyoshi Hikawa Special Concert 2018: Kiyoshiko no Yoru Vol. 18” [Official]

Limit-Break x SurvivorNEW!Hikawa Kiyoshi

With its powerful beat and catchy chorus, this track ignites the listener’s fighting spirit.

Kiyoshi Hikawa, one of Japan’s leading singers, delivers a passionate message about pushing past one’s limits with forceful, aggressive high notes.

The song was tied in as the opening theme for the Universe Survival Saga of the TV anime Dragon Ball Super and was released in October 2017.

It was also highly acclaimed as a finished work, winning the Composition Award at the 61st Japan Record Awards in 2019.

Resonating with a driving, full-bodied band sound, this piece is a perfect BGM choice for a tug-of-war when you want to muster every last bit of strength.

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