Two World Records at Japan Short Course Nationals

The Japanese swimmers are starting to look dangerous in the Olympic year. Having proven some young talent with teenager Ryosuke Irie busting out a 1:56.33 200 backstroke this year, their battle-tested stars are also shining bright at the Japanese Short Course National Championships. In addition to National Records from Kosuke Kitajima and Tomomi Morita, Yuuko Nakanishi and Reiko Nakamura both set world […]

Japan International Swim Meet Concludes

Two of the most exciting and fast-paced events in swimming started off the final session tonight at the Japan International. In the women’s 50m free, unlike earlier in the month at the USA Nationals, youth ruled the pool. Australia’s 15 year old sprint phenom, Cate Campbell won a hard fought, nose to nose battle […]

Third Night Finished at the Japan International

To open the night in the women’s 100m butterfly, Both Australia’s Libby Lenton and the United States’ Rachel Komisarz provided a show. It was not quite as great a show as if they have been their best from earlier in the season, but they were still able provide a quality race and two world […]

Coventry and Tancock Headline Second Night of Japan International

Starting off today, Libby Lenton was aiming for history. After “unofficially” breaking the world record back in April, she has put the world on notice regarding her intent to take down the world record in the women’s 100m free. Many believed that the record could fall today, but alas, Lenton fell just shy […]

Fast Swimming Continues in 2007 at the Japan Open

A long summer is about to come to a close, but not without some final racing on one of the world’s fastest growing swimming power’s home turf. At the Japan International swim meet in Chiba, Japan many of the world’s best have come out to play, including a dominant (on paper) Australian team, the home […]

Japan International Grand Prix Update: I’m Turning Japanese…

I think I’m turning Japanese, I really think so. No, as you would probably expect, the Vapors’ classic 1980’s hit is nowhere to be heard in the Land of the Rising Sun. Those were the first two points the country scored in my mental tally, but certainly not the last. In short: Japan is a […]

2004 Gold Medalist Kosuke Kitajima’s Thoughts on Beijing 2008

Here in the United States, there are likely many, many fans of swimmer Brendan Hansen and a good number of these fans pay special attention to his daily schedule, including but not limited to, what he eats, where he hangs out, what he did last night, etc. We have the luxury of being the […]

What Absence of Racing this Summer? Australia Bringing Stars to Japan

There seems to be a vicious rumour going around that there won’t be any top-level international swimming this summer. I disagree. Never mind the Pan American Games (which will feature names like Gary Hall Jr. and Cesar Cielo), but with the Paris Open attracting top-level European and American talent combined with the news that Australia […]

Kosuke Kitajima Ready to Challenge Hansen

Is Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima back? Kitajima told Reuters on Wednesday that he was “feeling sharp again and has put a dismal two-year run behind him.” I think it is great - the Brendan Hansen - Kitajima rivalry rivals that Spiderman vs. Green Goblin or Harry Potter vs. Voldemort. There is bad blood […]

Bucking Convention - Well Almost Buck Naked

While the results at the Australian Trials were not too pleasing for Sophie Edington, she was able please the crowd and her fans in some other ways… Namely with her bucking convention and making a ’splash’ when she swam a semi-final in a two-piece bikini.
Ignoring the now commonplace full-body suit, Edington raised eyebrows in a […]

Thorpedo Attempts to Saturate Japan With Water

Ian Thorpe, in his eel-like swimsuit (Adidas), is plastered around Tokyo’s subway station pylons, adorning train carriages, in a TV commercial, and gazing back at buyers from nearly 100,000 drink vending machines. If all goes to plan, Japan, home to the world’s richest consumers, will drink 3.5 million cases of his concoction, Thorpedo, this summer […]

Kitajima Rebounds. Wins Ticket to Pan Pacific Champs

Double Olympic breaststroke champion Kosuke Kitajima salvaged his pride on the final day of the Japanese national swimming championships, rebounding from a pair of losses to stretch his winning streak in the 100 meters breaststroke.
“I’m relieved that I got a ticket for the national team in the very end,” Kitajima told reporters.
Kitajima must truly make […]

Kosuke Kitajima on Verge of Missing Pan Pacs

Kosuke Kitajima has now lost two of three breaststroke events at the Japanese National Championships. This is the first time since 1999 that Kitajima has yet to win a national title. Now Kitajima the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in both the 100 meter and 200 meter breaststroke must swim well and win the […]

Kosuke Kitajima to Skip Nationals

Athens Olympics breaststroke double gold medalist Kosuke Kitajima said Wednesday he will not compete in the upcoming short-course national championships because of a sore elbow. Is this a swimming or non-swimming related injury?
Read full story: Kosuke Kitajima to Skip Nationals