Takeshi Matsuda

Takeshi Matsuda
Takeshi Matsuda 2011
Personal information
Full name Takeshi Matsuda
Nationality  Japan
Born (1984-06-23) June 23, 1984
Nobeoka, Miyazaki
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight 81 kg (179 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes butterfly, freestyle

Takeshi Matsuda (松田 丈志, Matsuda Takeshi, born June 23, 1984 in Nobeoka, Miyazaki) is a retired Japanese Olympic and Asian and National Record holding swimmer. He swam for Japan at the 2004, 2008 Olympics, 2012 Olympics, and 2016 Olympics, winning four medals. At the 2008 Olympics, he won a bronze medal in the men's 200 m butterfly in an Asian Record of 1:52.97; in doing so, he also set the Japanese Record in the event. On November 12, 2011, Matsuda set a new Japanese record (1:49.50) at the FINA World Cup for the short course 200 m butterfly. In doing so, he became just the third swimmer in history to break the 1:50 barrier for the event.[2]

Career

Early Years

Matsuda began swimming at the age of 4 at a local pool in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan, a relatively rural town with little history in swimming. Since then, he has trained with the same coach, Yumiko Kuze, a rare female coach in the world of men's swimming.[3] She was a swimmer in her youth and began as a volunteer coach at the local pool (personal interview).

2004 Olympics

At the 2004 Olympic Games, Matsuda placed 8th in the 400 m freestyle final.

2008 Olympics

In the final of the men's 200m butterfly at the 2008 Olympics, he finished 3rd to claim bronze. He came behind Michael Phelps and László Cseh, with a time of 1:52.97, an Asian record.

2012 Olympics

At the 2012 Olympics, Matsuda won two medals. He defended his bronze medal in the 200 meter butterfly and swam the butterfly leg for Japan's silver medal-winning relay team in the 4 × 100 meter medley relay with Ryosuke Irie, Kosuke Kitajima, and Takuro Fujii. He also swam the 100 meter butterfly, where he tied for sixteenth in the heats and subsequently lost a swim-off with Benjamin Starke of Germany, shutting him out of the semifinals.

2016 Olympics

At his final Olympics,[4] Matsuda won a bronze medal in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay.

Personal bests

In long course

  • 400m freestyle: 3:44.99 Former Japanese Record (August 9, 2008)
  • 800m freestyle: 7:49.65 Japanese Record (April 19, 2009)
  • 200m butterfly: 1:52.97 Asian Record (August 13, 2008)

In short course

  • 200m butterfly: 1:49.50 Former Japanese Record (November 12, 2011)

See also

Takeshi Kojima, Greenhouse to Water Cube / Matsuda's unorthodox training bears fruit in Beijing, / Yomiuri Shimbun, 14 August 2008

  1. ↑ "Japanese Medalists in London 2012 Olympics". joc.or.jp. Japanese Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  2. ↑ http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/28692.asp?q=FINA-World-Cup,-Tokyo:-Takeshi-Matsuda-Rattles-200-Fly-World-Record-During-Day-One-Finals
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
  4. ↑ Race, Loretta (September 2, 2016). "Japanese Stalwart Takeshi Matsuda Set To Retire This Month". Swimswam. Retrieved September 2, 2016.

FINA World Cup, Tokyo: Takeshi Matsuda Rattles 200 Fly World Record During Day One Finals—November 11, 2011

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