1.
guide runner; pacer; accompanying runner
A person who runs alongside someone else to assist, guide, or pace them. Most commonly refers to sighted guides who run with visually impaired athletes in parasports.
伴走者とロープでつながって走る。
The runner runs connected to a guide runner by a rope.
パラリンピックでは伴走者の役割がとても重要だ。
The role of guide runners is very important at the Paralympics.
視覚障害のある選手にとって、信頼できる伴走者は欠かせない存在だ。
For athletes with visual impairments, a trustworthy guide runner is indispensable.
2.
supportive companion; mentor who walks alongside
Used figuratively for someone who supports another person through a process or challenge, offering guidance without taking the lead.
先生は伴走者として見守る。
The teacher watches over them as a supportive companion.
起業の伴走者として経験豊富なメンターがつく。
An experienced mentor serves as a supportive companion for the startup.
彼は選手としてだけでなく、後輩たちの伴走者としても尊敬されている。
He is respected not only as an athlete but also as a mentor who walks alongside the younger members.
USAGE:
In parasports, the guide runner is connected to the visually impaired runner by a short rope or tether. The 伴走者 must match the athlete's pace without pulling ahead. The figurative sense has become increasingly common in business and education contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 伴走者を務める (to serve as a guide runner)
- 伴走者として支える (to support as an accompanying companion)
- 伴走支援 (accompanying support)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- {ペースメーカー}: pacemaker/pacer — in athletics, someone who sets the pace for others in a race
- {メンター}: mentor — a more general term for a guiding figure