[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM!
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] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]
- Top Songs to Hype Up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals [2026]
- [March, Foot Races, Dance] Energetic songs and the latest hits to liven up a sports day
- From classics to fan favorites! A catalog of music and BGM to liven up your sports day
- Songs That Make You Want to Run: Music for Running and Jogging to Get You Motivated!
- Songs that hype up the athlete entrance at school sports festivals
- Songs that hype up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals: Japanese Music / J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026]
- [To All Athletes] Inspirational Sports Anthems & Empowering Theme Songs
- Carefully selected J-pop to liven up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs.
- Recommended exit songs for sports day: A collection of tracks that are perfect for a brisk, quick-march exit.
- Get Fired Up! A Collection of Anime Songs to Hype Up Your Sports Day and Athletic Festival
- [Kids’ Cheer Song] Uplifting Positive Songs & Message Songs
- Coloring the drama of youth! Heartwarming songs perfect for school sports days and athletic festivals
[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM! (21–30)
Ashura-chanAdo
Singer Ado sparked a social phenomenon with the massive hit “Usseewa.” Her 2021 release “Ashura-chan,” which gained popularity especially among teens, is a rock tune perfect as background music for footraces.
Chosen as the theme song for Season 7 of the drama Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, the track also made waves for being produced by Vocaloid creator Neru, known for signature songs like “Lost One’s Weeping.” Ado’s commanding vocals cut through with technical guitar work.
Its up-tempo rhythm is sure to boost runners’ speed! Give this track a spin to raise the energy across your entire sports day venue.
KICKBACKYonezu Kenshi
This song by Kenshi Yonezu is characterized by rollercoaster-like, dramatic key changes and a thrilling, fast-paced rhythm.
Written specifically as the opening theme for the anime Chainsaw Man, it was released digitally in October 2022 and followed by a CD single the next month.
The lyrics, which celebrate effort and a forward-looking attitude toward the future, give listeners courage and hope.
With its rapid tempo and powerful message, it’s perfect for energizing a relay race at a school sports day—sure to spur on the runners and amplify the crowd’s cheers.
[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM! (31–40)
Polka of the HuntJohann Strauss II
The “Hunting Polka” is a piece Johann Strauss II built as new hunting music, drawing on a story that appears within a stage work.
A polka is a Czech folk dance characterized by a fast rhythm.
The piece itself is very unique, featuring wind instruments that play hunting signals and even expressing whip cracks and gunshots within the music.
Because it is composed around the theme of the hunt, the strings convey a sense of speed while the winds evoke power and bravery.
In fast events or split-second relays, this piece seems likely to heighten the tension.
together; along with; bothWANIMA
A track that makes your heart leap with its exhilarating melody and KENTA’s powerful vocals! Released in January 2018, it’s quintessential WANIMA—bright, explosive energy that’s perfect for sports days and athletic festivals.
Play it during all-out running events and the kids’ motivation is sure to soar.
It’s also great for entrance scenes to lift everyone’s spirits.
Chosen as the theme song for a Kumamoto earthquake recovery support project, this piece will be a fantastic cheer anthem to make children’s big moments even more exciting.
GUTS !arashi
Many people remember Arashi’s “GUTS!” as a song tied to their sports day memories—like “we did group gymnastics to this song” or “it was our sports festival fight song.” Doesn’t just hearing the intro make you feel like someone’s cheering, “Hooray, hooray!”? With lyrics that push you to “race through your youth with your friends,” it’s the perfect match for a relay at a school sports day.
It blows away pre-race jitters and gives you the courage and confidence to compete with integrity.
life-formHoshino Gen
Singer-songwriter Gen Hoshino, who also showcases his talents as an actor, essayist, and columnist.
His eighth digital-only single, “Seimeitai,” written as the theme song for TBS’s World Athletics and the Asian Games, features lyrics that powerfully push you forward and give you courage.
Its pop melody and energetic beat make it perfect for exhilarating moments like sports or driving.
With its striking choral work that makes you want to sing along, it’s a number whose exhilarating sense of speed feels great.
Don’t give upZARD
This song, which was used as the theme for the TV drama “Reiko Shiratori de Gozaimasu!”, was also featured as the CM song for NTT Docomo’s “Cheering in Vancouver” commercial during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, so it likely has a strong image as a sports cheering anthem.
With both its melody and lyrics, this track is a perfect fit for a relay where each team runs at full speed.
