JAPAN: SWIMMING - Olympic breaststroke champion kosuke Kitajima gives Japanese kids swimming lesson

Record ID: 1531711

  • Title: JAPAN: SWIMMING - Olympic breaststroke champion kosuke Kitajima gives Japanese kids swimming lesson
  • Date: 8th September 2007
  • Summary: WIDE OF SCHOOL'S GYMNASIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) OLYMPIC BREASTSTROKE CHAMPION KOSUKE KITAJIMA SAYING: "I will win another gold medal in Beijing next year." PHOTOGRAPHERS VARIOUS OF KITAJIMA, OTHER ATHLETES AND KIDS POSING FOR PHOTOS PAN OF CLASSROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SHO NAGAI, 5TH GRADER, SAYING: "I had never thought I'd be able to swim with a world champion. And not only that, we beat him! I'm so excited." (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) REIKO TATSU-UMA, 5TH GRADER, SAYING: "Today we learned the streamline position, breaststroke and kicks."
  • Embargoed: 23rd September 2007 10:34
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA9VCVR9NWIYHAQ6FATHYIVZNAE
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Japan's double Olympic gold medallist Kosuke Kitajima visited an elementary school just outside Tokyo on Thursday (September 6) to give kids a swimming lesson - and a little pep talk about their future and dreams.
    "It's drizzling, but let's have fun in the water. Let's go!"
    Kitajima, the 24-year-old gold medalist in the 100 and 200 metres breaststroke at the 2004 Athens Games, told children at an elementary school in Kamakura, south of Tokyo.
    Kitajima suffered a major slump in form following his success in Athens until he won gold in the 200 metres at this year's world championships in Melbourne.
    Visiting the school, 24-year-old Kitajima mingled with kids in the pool and gave them a hands-on lesson on the breaststroke and frog kicks.
    In a 125-metre relay, a team of five 5th graders, who challenged Kitajima by swimming freestyle, beat the world champion who swam all the way by himself by a hair.
    Kitajima also addressed the students in the school's gymnasium, urging them to keep pursing their dreams.
    Touching on his own dream, Kitajima said: "I will win another gold medal in Beijing next year."
    Kitajima also mentioned the concerns about air pollution in Beijing, which will host next year's Olympics, asking the children to do whatever they can to protect the world's environment.
    "I had never thought I'd be able to swim with a world champion.
    And not only that, we beat him! I'm so excited," said 5th grader Sho Nagai.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
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