1. Yosuke Shibata, South Eugene High School, track and field.

2. (tie) Bryce Boettcher, University of Oregon football,
Dante Moore, University of Oregon football.

3. Eric Rosenfeld, Ultimate Frisbee.

It’s not often that a 17-year-old runner stands with Duck football players for grit, athleticism, achievement and value in the community. 

Yet, in this competition, the votes for Yosuke Shibata outnumbered not one, but two professional sportsballers: Duck quarterback Dante Moore and linebacker Bryce Boettcher, who both tied for second place. Shibata is a long-distance runner from South Eugene High who has been competing in track and field and cross country since he was in middle school. He is currently the third fastest high school cross country runner in Oregon, and the 32nd fastest in the United States with a 5k time of 14:38. 

In June of this year, he took home first place at the Nike Outdoor Nationals race by running a (far too fast) 4:12 mile. His secret, he says, is self motivation. Before winning in June, he suffered from shin splints and pneumonia over the winter. “I love running a lot, and I really want to get better,” Shibata says. “It was a tough start, but I was really proud of myself to push through until the end of the season and be as consistent as I could and end up with a win.” His advice to other athletes “is to be consistent, not to slam your workouts or run too hard. And focus on recovery as well, because that’s where you reap the benefits,” he says. Shibata hopes to continue running in college, and pursue a degree in either environmental systems or marine biology. Another fun fact about him: not only did he not campaign at all for Best of Eugene, but he didn’t even know what Best of Eugene was until Eugene Weekly reached out to him to tell him that he had been nominated.