Kosuke Kitajima
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games • Other |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Kosuke•Kitajima |
| Used name | Kosuke•Kitajima |
| Original name | 北島•康介 |
| Born | 22 September 1982 in Arakawa, Tokyo (JPN) |
| Measurements | 178 cm / 73 kg |
| Affiliations | Coca Cola Japan |
| NOC |  Japan |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 4 |
| Silver | 1 |
| Bronze | 2 |
| Total | 7 |
Biography
Kosuke Kitajima has won back-to-back Olympic titles in both the 100 and 200 m breaststroke. In Beijing, he became the first repeat breaststroke winner in 76 years, succeeding his compatriot Yoshiyuki Tsuruta. Kitajima has had a long rivalry with his American opponent Brendan Hansen, whom he beat at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, as well as at the 2003 World Championships (2 times). Hansen in turn beat the Japanese swimmer at the 2005 World Championships, and both took one title in 2007. Since their rise to the top in 2002, the two have also been fighting for the World Record in both breaststroke events, with Kitajima obtaining both in 2008. Kitajima, who in 2003 became the first Japanese World Champion in swimming, made the news prior to the Beijing Olympics when he denied wearing swimsuits from his sponsor, Mizuno, instead favoring the supposedly faster Speedo suits.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | JPN |
Kosuke Kitajima | |||
| 100 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 4 | |||||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 17 | |||||
| 2004 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | JPN |
Kosuke Kitajima | |||
| 100 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic) | Japan | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 2008 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | JPN |
Kosuke Kitajima | |||
| 100 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic) | Japan | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 2012 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | JPN |
Kosuke Kitajima | |||
| 100 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 5 | |||||
| 200 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) | 4 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic) | Japan | 2 | Silver |
Other participations
| Games | Role | NOC | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Summer Olympics | Flagbearer at the Closing Ceremony | JPN |
Kosuke Kitajima |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m breaststroke – 21 July 2003 - 8 July 2004 and 11 August 2008 - 27 July 2009: 59.78 (21 July 2003; Barcelona, ESP), 58.91 (11 August 2008; Beijing, CHN); 200 m breaststroke – 2 October 2002 - 15 June 2003, 24 July 2003 - 11 July 2004, and 8 June 2008 - 30 July 2009: 2:09.97 (2 October 2002; Busan, KOR), 2:09.42 (24 July 2003; Barcelona, ESP), 2:07.51 (8 June 2008; Tokyo, JPN))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships (3–3–1 2002 Yokohama gold: 100 m breaststroke; 2006 Victoria silver: 200 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 100 m breaststroke; 2010 Irvine gold: 100 m breaststroke and 200 m breaststroke, silver: 4×100 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (3–4–5 2001 Fukuoka SWI bronze: 200 m breaststroke; 2003 Barcelona SWI gold: 100 m breaststroke and 200 m breaststroke, bronze: 4×100 m medley relay; 2005 Montréal SWI silver: 100 m breaststroke, bronze: 50 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay; 2007 Melbourne SWI gold: 200 m breaststroke, silver: 100 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay; 2011 Shanghai SWI silver: 200 m breaststroke; 2013 Barcelona SWI bronze: 4×100 m medley relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Short-Course Swimming Championships (25 m) (0–1–0 2002 Moskva silver: 100 m breaststroke)
- Listed in Olympic Swimmers - Doubles Champions, Same Year (2004 / 2008 100/200 Breaststroke Champion.)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Asian Games (7–1–0 2002 Busan SWM gold: 100 m breaststroke, 200 m breaststroke, and 4×100 m medley relay; 2006 Doha SWM gold: 100 m breaststroke, 200 m breaststroke, and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 50 m breaststroke; 2010 Guangzhou SWM gold: 4×100 m medley relay (swam in heats only))