Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM!

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 as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is 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.

Speaking of relays, they’re the event that gets the crowd most excited at a sports day! The music that adds flair to the race is also one of the key elements.

I’m sure you, too, have a song that comes to mind as relay BGM.

In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of tracks—from classic relay staples everyone’s heard to J-pop numbers perfect for a heated competition.

They’re all songs that will make you want to start running, so use them as a guide when choosing your playlist.

[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect as relay race BGM! (81–90)

Opening DeclarationNovelbright

Novelbright – Opening Declaration [Official Music Video]

Opening DeclarationNovelbright

An encouraging song that helps you take a step toward your dreams and hopes was born in April 2021 from the major 1st album “Kaimaku Sengen.” With a bright, powerful melody and a passionate spirit like the sun shining in the wide sky, this work is a fervent message song crafted by Novelbright.

In 2022, it was selected as the theme song for Nippon TV’s nationwide high school dance club support project, “Dance ONE Project ’22” on the program Sukkiri, powerfully backing the challenging spirit of young people.

It’s a song that gently pushes the backs of everyone uniting their hearts—whether for field day events, sports festivals, or cheer battles.

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Joyfulikimonogakari

Ikimonogakari 'Joyful' Music Video

Joyfulikimonogakari

Joyful, sung by Ikimonogakari, was originally produced as a commercial song for Ezaki Glico’s Pocky.

Released as a double A-side single together with YELL, Joyful reached a career-best No.

2 on the Oricon weekly chart.

Its gradually building intro is distinctive, and the brass lines that pop in throughout really pump you up.

With its upbeat, fast-paced pop feel, it’s a perfect track both for runners in a relay and for the crowd cheering them on!

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Long Hope PhiliaSuda Masaki

Masaki Suda “Long Hope Philia”

Long Hope PhiliaSuda Masaki

This is a song released in 2018 by Masaki Suda, who is popular both as an actor and as a singer.

He’s also a favorite among children, isn’t he? Written as the theme song for the animated film My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, its upbeat tempo and pleasant guitar cutting will have your feet moving forward before you know it!

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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READY STEADY GOL’Arc〜en〜Ciel

READY STEADY GO [WORLD TOUR 2012 LIVE at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN]

READY STEADY GOL'Arc〜en〜Ciel

“READY STEADY GO” is the 22nd single by the rock band L’Arc~en~Ciel, released on February 4, 2004.

In addition to being used as the opening theme for the MBS/TBS anime Fullmetal Alchemist, it was also featured in a Yakult commercial in China.

“READY STEADY GO” is characterized by its fresh, bright sound—a driving rock tune with such a sense of speed that it feels like you could run faster than usual if it were played as background music for a relay race!

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The Star-Spangled Banner ForeverJohn Philip Sousa

Sousa: March "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (1976)

The Star-Spangled Banner ForeverJohn Philip Sousa

The Stars and Stripes Forever is a march composed in 1898 by John Philip Sousa, former director of the United States Marine Band.

It is one of Sousa’s most famous pieces.

From the very beginning, the powerful playing of various instruments sets the tone, making it a great choice when you want to evoke pride and boost morale.

In the middle section, there’s a passage where strings and flutes produce a gentle timbre, so I recommend using it as an entrance march before a relay rather than during the relay itself.

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