is a Japanese retired
breaststroke
Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and that it can be s ...
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 ...
. He won
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 ...
s at the men's 100 m and 200 m
breaststroke
Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and that it can be s ...
events 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), ...
, and the
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
– becoming the first and only swimmer to sweep the breaststroke events at consecutive Olympic games.
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
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Nat ...
– this mark was broken by
Brenton Rickard
Brenton Scott Rickard (born 19 October 1983) is a retired breaststroke swimmer from Australia. He emerged at the international level in 2006, swimming at the Commonwealth games. He has captured multiple Olympic and World Championship medals, as ...
. 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.
His most significant rival in the breaststroke was the American swimmer
Brendan Hansen
Brendan Joseph Hansen (born August 15, 1981) is an American former competition swimmer who specialized in breaststroke events. Hansen is a six-time Olympic medalist, and is also a former world record-holder in both the 100-meter and 200-meter ...
. They dueled at events such as the
2005 World Championships,
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), ...
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
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
. Kitajima regained the 200 m breaststroke
world record
A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...
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.
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 intervie
(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.
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.
Kitajima retired in April 2016 after missing qualification for the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...
in Rio de Janeiro. He was attempting to qualify for his fifth Olympics.
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
This is a listing of the history of the World Record in the 100 breaststroke swimming event.
The first world record in long course (50 metres) swimming was recognized by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 1961, while the wome ...
*
World record progression 200 metres breaststroke
The first world record in the men's 200 metres breaststroke in long course (50 metres) swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 1908 and the first world record in the women's 200 metres breaststroke ...
*
List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
This article lists the individuals who have won at least four gold medals at the Olympic Games or at least three gold medals in individual events.
List of most Olympic gold medals over career
This is a partial list of multiple Olympic gold medalis ...
*
List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
This is a list of athletes who have won multiple gold medals at a single Olympic Games. List of most gold medals won at a single Olympic Games
This is a list of most gold medals won in a single Olympic Games. Medals won in the 1906 Intercalated Ga ...
*
List of multiple Olympic medalists
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
References
External links
KITAJIMA, KosukeInternational Who's Who. accessed September 4, 2006.
*
Profile London 2012 Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitajima, Kosuke
1982 births
Japanese male breaststroke swimmers
Olympic swimmers of Japan
Olympic gold medalists for Japan
Olympic silver medalists for Japan
Olympic bronze medalists for Japan
Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
World record setters in swimming
Nippon Sport Science University alumni
Olympic bronze medalists in swimming
World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
Sportspeople from Tokyo
Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)
Asian Games medalists in swimming
Swimmers at the 2002 Asian Games
Swimmers at the 2006 Asian Games
Swimmers at the 2010 Asian Games
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Asian Games gold medalists for Japan
Asian Games silver medalists for Japan
Olympic gold medalists in swimming
Olympic silver medalists in swimming
Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon
Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games
Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games
Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games
Living people
Goodwill Games medalists in swimming
Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games
20th-century Japanese people
21st-century Japanese people