Japan’s Kitajima powers to fourth Games

Wednesday, 4 April 2012 00:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Multiple gold medallist champion Kosuke Kitajima became the first Japanese swimmer to qualify for four Olympics by storming to the national 100 metres breaststroke title on Tuesday.

A chiseled-looking Kitajima, who won the 100 and 200 breaststroke double at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, won the men’s final in 58.90 seconds, a Japanese record, at Tokyo’s Tatsumi Pool.

The 29-year-old squeezed out rival Ryo Tateishi by 0.70 of a second as both men booked their places in this year’s London Olympics.

The Japanese nationals double as the country’s Olympic qualifiers.