Nobutaka Taguchi

Nobutaka Taguchi took up competitive swimming at the age of 12, when his family moved to Mihara, Hiroshima. He first competed internationally at the 1968 Olympics and eventually became one of the best breaststrokers of the world at the start of 1970s. Along with John Hencken and David Wilkie, the trio often dividing the breaststroke medals in international meets. The high point of Taguchi’s career came at the 1972 Olympics, where he won 100 breaststroke gold and 200 breaststroke bronze.

While winning the 100 gold, Taguchi set his only two world records, swimming 1:05.13 in the semi-finals, and then 1:04.94 in the final. Besides his Olympic medals, he also won bronzes in both breaststrokes at the 1973 World Championships, a 100 breaststroke silver at the 1975 World Championships, and 100 breast silver and 200 breast bronze at the 1970 Universiade. Taguchi won the 200 and was part of the winning medley relay at the 1970 and 1974 Asian Games.

Taguchi retired from swimming after the 1976 Olympics and, after graduating Hiroshima University with a commerce degree, worked as an executive with Fujita Corporation, a building construction and engineering firm. He later worked as a lecturer and professor at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. Taguchi was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 1987.

Personal Bests: 100 m breaststroke – 1:04.65 (1976); 200 m breaststroke – 2:23.11 (1973).