On the forearm of Brazilian coach Ricardo Cintra, there is a unique tattoo.
The tattoo celebrates the 3-time participation in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim by his wife and Olympic bronze medalist Poliana Okimoto, the only athlete to have qualified for all three 10 km marathon swims at the Summer Olympics to date.
At the inaugural 10 km marathon swim in Beijing, Okimoto finished 7th in 1:59:37.4 in a rowing basin, less than 10 seconds behind gold medalist Larisa Ilchenko of Russia. She did not finish the 10 km marathon swim in London’s Serpentina in 2012 and she earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing in 1:56:51.4 on Copacabana Beach.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.