Friday 6 April 2012

200m Breast at Japan Swim: Kosuke Kitajima 2:08.00, Ryo Tateishi 2:08.17 (With Video)



(Thanks to Swimmer's Daily and   for the video)

Three things I love about this video:

1. The incredible times both Kitajima and Tateishi lay down. Both men are inside the previous textile best time.
2. How utterly exhausted both men are after the race. It broke them.
3. Kitajima going over to console 17 year old Akihiro Yamaguchi, who had just swum the race of his life to finish in 2:09.70 (4th in the world this year) and still miss the team for London. Having the world's greatest ever men's breaststroker giving you a tap on the head has got to make you feel at least a tiny bit better about things.

I said it on Twitter, but I will say it again - With every new accomplishment Kitajima picks up, he continues to move further ahead of the chasing pack when it comes to the greatest breaststroker of all time discussion. In terms of domination in one stroke, Kitajima is in very select company.

4 comments:

  1. Awesome swim!
    I agree with everything you say. And I just can't wait for London.

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  2. I second what Bjarnason said.

    :)

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  3. Just very impressive.

    Seemingly with every major championship taking place this year approaching the Olympic Games swimmers are stepping up and establishing their place among the world's best, or asserting dominance that appears hard to match.

    Very exciting what's happening with the Japanese male breaststrokers.

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  4. Want to post about Yamaguchi's world record he's just posted? 2:07.01! Bit gutting for the lad he lost out to these two in the trials, could've challenged Gyurta and Jamieson.

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