Kosuke Kitajima

Kosuke Kitajima (北島 康介, Kitajima Kōsuke, born September 22, 1982 in Tokyo) is a Japanese retired breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals for the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke events at the Athens 2004, and the Beijing 2008.[2]

Kosuke Kitajima

Personal information
Nationality	Japan
Born	September 22, 1982 Tokyo, Japan
Height	177 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight	72 kg (159 lb)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Breaststroke
Medal record Men's swimming Representing  Japan Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 4 1 2 World Championships (LC) 3 4 5 World Championships (SC) 0 1 0 Pan Pacific Championships 3 3 1 Asian Games 7 1 0 Total 17 10 8 Olympic Games 2004 Athens 100 m breaststroke 2004 Athens 200 m breaststroke 2008 Beijing 100 m breaststroke 2008 Beijing 200 m breaststroke 2012 London 4×100 m medley 2004 Athens 4×100 m medley 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley World Championships (LC) 2003 Barcelona 100 m breaststroke 2003 Barcelona 200 m breaststroke 2007 Melbourne 200 m breaststroke 2005 Montreal 100 m breaststroke 2007 Melbourne 100 m breaststroke 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley 2011 Shanghai 200 m breaststroke 2001 Fukuoka 200 m breaststroke 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m medley 2005 Montreal 50 m breaststroke 2005 Montreal 4×100 m medley 2013 Barcelona 4×100 m medley World Championships (SC) 2002 Moscow 100 m breaststroke Pan Pacific Championships 2002 Yokohama 100 m breaststroke 2010 Irvine 100 m breaststroke 2010 Irvine 200 m breaststroke 2006 Victoria 200 m breaststroke 2006 Victoria 4×100 m medley 2010 Irvine 4×100 m medley 2006 Victoria 100 m breaststroke Asian Games 2002 Busan 100 m breaststroke 2002 Busan 200 m breaststroke 2002 Busan 4×100 m medley 2006 Doha 100 m breaststroke 2006 Doha 200 m breaststroke 2006 Doha 4×100 m medley 2010 Guangzhou 4×100 m medley 2006 Doha 50 m breaststroke

Major achievements

Kitajima is a decorated swimmer in the world championships and was the world record holder in the 100 m breaststroke that he set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics – this mark was broken by Brenton Rickard. He was also bronze medal winner in the same Olympics in the 4×100 m medley relay. He edged out his main rival Brendan Hansen who finished fourth while Kitajima won the gold medal and set the new world record.

He received four gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals in total at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.[3]

His most significant rival in the breaststroke was the American swimmer Brendan Hansen. They dueled at events such as the 2005 World Championships, 2004 Summer Olympics and 2003 World Championships. Kitajima set both world records for 100 m and 200 m breaststroke in the latter occasion. Later his best in 200 m was overcome by Dimitri Komornikov and then by Hansen, who also broke Kitajima's record in the 100 m. Kitajima regained the world record (58.91) in the 100 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Kitajima regained the 200 m breaststroke world record in June 2008 at the Japan Open. His time of 2:07.51 shaved nearly a second off the previous record of 2:08.50 set by Hansen in 2006.[4]

During the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Kitajima generated buzz for his primal screams of exuberance after edging out Hansen in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke for the gold. At a pool side interview (3'24") following his victory in the 100 m, Kosuke Kitajima also popularised the phrase 'cho-kimochi-ii,' meaning "I feel really good." The word went on to win the 2004 U-Can Neologisms and Vogue Words contest.[5]

During his gold medal winning 100 m breaststroke race at the 2004 Olympics, he used an illegal dolphin kick on a pull-out, although he was not disqualified, and the rules were changed less than one year later to allow a single dolphin kick after the start and after each turn.[6][7][8]

Kitajima retired in April 2016 after missing qualification for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He was attempting to qualify for his fifth Olympics.[9]

Personal bests

In long course swimming pools Kitajima's bests are:

• 50 m breaststroke: 27.30 (13 April 2010)
• 100 m breaststroke: 58.90 (3 April 2012)
• 200 m breaststroke: 2:07.51 (8 June 2008)

See also

• World record progression 100 metres breaststroke
• World record progression 200 metres breaststroke
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
• List of multiple Olympic medalists

References

1. "Japanese Medalists in London 2012 Olympics". joc.or.jp. Japanese Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
2. Clarey, Christopher (August 13, 2008). "Kitajima Completes Breaststroke Double, Again". The New York Times.
3. Odeven, Ed, "Kitajima eyes three-peat", Japan Times, 3 June 2012, p. 16
4. "Kitajima supplants American Hansen's world breaststroke mark". Retrieved 2008-06-10.
5. "2004 Annual Grand Prix". Archived from the original on 2007-03-15. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
6. https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/the-new-rule-that-could-sink-michael-phelps/260380/
7. https://slate.com/culture/2012/08/cameron-van-der-burgh-dolphin-kick-how-the-south-african-swimmer-used-an-illegal-move-to-win-gold-in-london.html
8. https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/more-breaststroke-dolphin-kick-controversy/
9. Lord, Craig (April 8, 2016). "Bye, Says King Frog Kosuke Kitajima, Four Games, Four Golds, Pantheon-Bound". Swimvortex. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2016.

External links

• KITAJIMA, Kosuke International Who's Who. accessed September 4, 2006.
• Official website (in Japanese)
• Profile London 2012 Official Website