Legendary Breast-stroker Kosuke Kiitajima Bows Out in Style

In 1948, three years after the war's end, as Japan was barred out of the London Olympics, the Japan Swimming Federation (JASF) held the All-Japan Swimming Championships deliberately on the very day of the finals in London. A "Mini Torpedo" Hironoshin Furuhashi, latter-day "Fujiyama no Tobiuwo" (Flying Fish of Fujiyama), marked world records in both 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyles clocking 4:33:0 and 18:37:00, respectively, to beat the gold medalists in London.

That was fantastic; Furuhashi was lauded as a national hero and his stories have been written, filmed and much talked about ever since.

Now, how does Kosuke Kitajima compare with Furuhashi? Well, there's no point in comparing, really, as both boosted national morale in their own ways - Furuhashi invigorating the pitifully demoralized Japanese and Kitajima demonstrating how tender-built Oriental can sweep two Olympics in row in the same category.

Both are legends, there's no doubt about it.

Kitajima failed to clock the passing record and finished 5th in 200-meter breaststroke final in the just closed Japan Championships. He was accompanied by his years-long coach Norimasa Hirai in his "retirement" press interview, April 10:

In response to rapid-fire questions, Kitajima commented*

"Hard to put what I feel in a few words. I can say, though, that it's been a great life, thanks to many people. I owe immensely to my coach Mr. Hirai who let me win all those medals.

"(Asked of the most memorable race) Oh, it's hard to pin point just one. The races I won gold medals in, of course, but it's funny I remember so well of the races I couldn't win in childhood days, and one race I swam so hard to win over my rivals in junior high days, etc.

Asked for his comment on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he provoke a roar of laughter:

"Too bad it comes a bit too late.....".
(Nathan Shiga)