Kosuke Kitajima

Kosuke Kitajima (北島 康介, Kitajima Kōsuke, born September 22, 1982) is a Japanese retired breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals at the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke events at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and the 2008 Summer Olympics – becoming the first and only swimmer to sweep the breaststroke events at consecutive Olympic games.[2]

Kosuke Kitajima
Personal information
Nationality Japan
Born (1982-09-22) September 22, 1982
Tokyo, Japan
Height177 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight72 kg (159 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBreaststroke
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
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens 200 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place2012 London 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2003 Barcelona 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2003 Barcelona 200 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2007 Melbourne 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2005 Montreal 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2007 Melbourne 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2011 Shanghai 200 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Fukuoka 200 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Montreal 50 m breaststroke
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Montreal 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Barcelona 4×100 m medley
World Championships (SC)
Silver medal – second place 2002 Moscow 100 m breaststroke
Pan Pacific Championships
Gold medal – first place 2002 Yokohama 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2010 Irvine 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2010 Irvine 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2006 Victoria 200 m breaststroke
Silver medal – second place 2006 Victoria 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2010 Irvine 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Victoria 100 m breaststroke
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Busan 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2002 Busan 200 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2002 Busan 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2006 Doha 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2006 Doha 200 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2006 Doha 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2010 Guangzhou 4×100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 2006 Doha 50 m breaststroke

Major achievements

Kitajima, who was born in Tokyo, 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

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. "The New Rule That Could Sink Michael Phelps". The Atlantic. 27 July 2012.
  7. "The Cheatingest Move in Swimming: How a South African Used Illegal Dolphin Kicks to Win Gold". 7 August 2012.
  8. "More Breaststroke Dolphin Kick Controversy". 26 October 2007.
  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.
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