Yukichi Ishii started out in a small town in Chiba, where his local school had no track and field and only 60 students. Now, nearly 15 years later, he competes in the United States (US) for Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) and internationally for Team Japan at the Asian games, placing 4th in the men’s 800m.

   The Todai Shimbun interviewed Ishii to learn more about what inspired him to compete in the United States, the challenges he has faced, and how his journey from Ichihara to the international stage transformed his career and identity.

From Small-Town Roots

   Ishii took risks before university to pursue his longer term ambitions. He moved from the countryside in Chiba Prefecture to be closer to Tokyo, where he could compete with a team that matched his goals, Ichihara Athletic Club (AC). From there he gained confidence, winning races and competing at the national level.

   He found his passion to take his training to the next level following a loss at the Japanese national championships to a future Penn State teammate, Allon Clay. His rival moved to the US to compete, and the competitive nature of Ishii led him to think, “How can I beat him? I think I should follow him.” Motivated by the intensity of competition in the United States, he made the decision to study and compete overseas despite cultural and linguistic barriers. “I wanted to see how far I could go if I pushed myself in an environment where running is taken to the next level,” Ishii explained.

   Even before arriving in the US, Ishii was venturing into unexplored territory. With little English ability, he relied upon an agent to connect him to US teams and coaches. Even seemingly certain opportunities would fall through. For example, he was informed he had a spot on a team if he scored high enough on the SAT, an American standardized entrance exam for university. However, upon scoring high enough, he never heard back from the team. His mother began to wonder whether or not this was the right path for him. However, he managed to find a spot on the east coast with Penn State, who at the time was developing their track and field team.

Adapting to a New Environment

   Upon arriving in the United States, Ishii faced an unfamiliar language, culture, and training methods. “I was living day by day, just surviving. I didn’t have time to get sad or even feel lonely.” Despite intensely studying English before arrival, Ishii had difficulty connecting with teammates, feeling like “everyone has a different vocabulary and they’re using 100% of it on me.” In addition to this, the coaching culture differed significantly, with attention from the Penn State coaches significantly results-based. Even with these challenges, Ishii says “I really appreciate this environment,” explaining how “it pushes you to really go to your limit.”

   Not only did it push Ishii to his limits, but it opened up new opportunities to him that would have been unavailable in Japan. After a Penn State teammate signed with Brooks, an American shoe company, Ishii learned about the newly available option of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. It was argued that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), an organizational and regulatory body for athletics in the US, previously profited unfairly off student athletes, who despite working nearly full-time hours were unable to profit off their names. In light of that, the NIL deal was created to give athletes competing in the US the opportunity to sign sponsorships and profit from their abilities. Ishii demonstrated interest in Brooks , and after a strong performance, he became the first Japanese track and field athlete to sign a NIL deal.

   Living in the US is considerably more expensive than Japan, with high university tuition and living costs. The NIL deal allows Ishii to offset a significant amount of the financial hardship of studying in the US, such as his rent. However, he is unable to promote Brooks in the US due to visa conditions. As a result, Ishii creates content internationally, for example during trips to Canada, Europe, and Japan.

   Ishii has made a strong impact in the US, highlighted by his 800m time of 1:46.22—seventh in Penn State history—and a top-10 mark in the 4x800m relay. His achievements earned him Big Ten Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors on March 28, 2024. He was also twice awarded “Academic All-Big Ten” for maintaining above average grades (exceeding 3.0 GPA) while competing on the Penn State varsity team. Despite challenges, Ishii continues to excel, making the most of his opportunities on and off the track.

Giving Back and Looking Forward

   His journey came full circle when he returned to Tokyo for events and appearances during the 2025 Track and Field Championships. He participated in interviews with notable media outlets and athletes, such as FloTrack and elite marathoner Jake Barraclough. During these interviews, Ishii expressed his surprise at the interest in the event and its popularity in Japan, emphasizing that having more Japanese athletes in international races could boost the sport’s popularity in Japan.

   Ishii also had the opportunity to give back to his community in Tokyo, giving out Brooks shoes to his former team, Ichihara AC, and leading them on a community run. This experience prompted him to reflect on his own journey, and how to inspire those thinking about following a similar path. This has amplified Ishii’s desire to help kids of a similar background, talking to and assisting Japanese athletes interested in pursuing running in the US, sharing his recommendations and experience.

   While Ishii didn’t get to be the one to compete at the World Championships this year, he says “I will be. I’m waiting.” Keep your eye on Yukichi Ishii.