I would like to sincerely congratulate all of you who have become representatives of the 78th National Sports Festival SAGA2024. Congratulations! My name is Hiroshi Yamamoto, and this will be my ninth time serving as representative.

I have served as team leader in eight tournaments so far, and we have won the Emperor's Cup, the highest honor that all 8 prefectures aspire to, in four tournaments and the Empress's Cup in six tournaments. Tokyo is home to such great players. If we win this year, it will be our third consecutive victory, following on from last year and the year before, so let's bring home the Emperor's Cup and the Empress's Cup again this year.

To achieve this, I want you to achieve your personal best in each event and reach the top of the mountain called National Sports. I also want you to work hard as you see this as the first step to reach the top of many mountains, such as the Olympics, the four major championships, and the World Cup.

If you don't have the momentum to easily climb the mountain of the National Sports Festival, you may not be able to climb the big mountain you are aiming for. Also, if you don't practice and prepare properly, you won't know how to tackle it the next time you climb the mountain. I hope that you will grow into an athlete who can climb higher and higher mountains while having a great exchange with the managers, coaches, and instructors at the National Sports Festival.

I am in the position of team leader, but I will also be participating as a runner, just like last year. Every runner has a lot of momentum when climbing a mountain, but once they reach the top, they also have to descend. I hope that they will grow into great athletes who can climb high mountains and take their time when descending.

In closing, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the coaches who train these wonderful athletes, and to all the people involved in the sports organizations who are working hard to develop the athletes and the development of sports in Tokyo.