is a Japanese

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

. At the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

, she won the

gold medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have bee ...

in the 800 meter freestyle race. She was the first ever female gold medalist for Japan in a freestyle event. She attended the

National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya is a national university in Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan, founded in 1981. Four alumni participated in the swimming and volleyball events in the Beijing Olympics, including Athens Olympics swimming gold medalist Ai Shibata. Four players parti ...

. In 2008 Shibata announced her retirement.

References

1982 births Living people Olympic swimmers for Japan Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for Japan Japanese female freestyle swimmers World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming People from Dazaifu, Fukuoka Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists in swimming Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon Sportspeople from Fukuoka Prefecture {{Japan-Olympic-medalist-stub