AMBASSADORS

PROFILE

Koichi Nakano AMBASSADOR

Koichi Nakano was born in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
In 1977, he became the first Japanese rider to win the sprint event of the World Cycling Championships, a feat he repeated for 10 consecutive years until 1986. Known as “Mr. Nakano of the World” and “Mr. Keirin,” he was one of the first Japanese athletes to compete overseas. In 2006, he was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon.

PROFILE

Kawasaki Munenori EVENT CAPTAIN

Originally from Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture.
He joined the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks after graduating from Kagoshima Prefectural Kagoshima Technical High School (2000).
He excelled as a shortstop, winning the most hits and stolen base titles (2004), as well as Best Nine and Golden Glove awards.
He was selected to represent Japan at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and made a significant contribution to their victory.
In 2012, he moved to Major League Baseball, playing for the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and Chicago Cubs.
Afterwards, he played again for teams such as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Wei Chuan Dragons, and Tochigi Golden Braves, while continuing to spread the joy of baseball through baseball clinics and YouTube.

PROFILE

Mei Ueda CHEER SQUAD

A model and talent from Uto City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Miss International Japan 2024.
The following year, she won the title of Miss Asia at the world competition.
Currently, she is active in the fields of "beauty, health, and education," and also promotes the charms of Kumamoto as a Kumamoto Prefecture Ambassador and Uto City Goodwill Ambassador.
Her hobbies are traveling, road cycling, and running.

PROFILE

Beki CHEER SQUAD

Kyushu Cycling Navigator.
Originally from Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture, currently residing in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
“I started riding a road bike in 2010, and I'm currently sharing the charm of cycling and the local area of Kyushu through my YouTube channel "Beki's Must-Visit Places!" and on Instagram, where I introduce cycling routes and photogenic spots.”
She is involved in a wide range of activities, including cafe rides and participating in the "PBP," a 1200km brevet, and in recent years has also been challenging herself in road races and hill climb races.

PROFILE

CHEERLEADERS

This team is led by Sayuri Soga, the first Japanese cheerleader to work in the NFL, the world's top football league.

MESSAGE

"We cheerleaders value the idea of "moving people's hearts through the power of cheering",
and we feel honored to be part of the international stage of Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2026.
Through energetic performances and bright smiles, we hope to support the athletes as they take on this incredible challenge while sharing excitement, inspiration, and positive energy with everyone in attendance.
We will put our hearts into our activities to make this edition even more exciting and expand the circle of support!
We look forward to seeing you at Tour de Kyushu 2026!"