Yumi Kida Carrying On Japanese Traditions In The Open Water
In Portugal’s Setubal Bay this Saturday, Japan’s Yumi Kida will attempt to become the first Japanese athlete to qualify for the Olympic 10km Marathon Swim.A former world championship finalist in the 800m freestyle, the small-but-tenacious Kida has the speed and endurance to finish not only in the top 15 in order to qualify, but also has the potential to finish in the top 5 at the 2012 FINA Olympic 10km Marathon Swimming Qualifier in Setubal Bay.
She has been placing in the top 10 of several FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup events over the past few years, so she also has the requisite racing experience and savvy to become an open water swimming Olympian.
For her to represent Japan and its long traditions in the open water competitions (over 2,000 years), Kida would carry the mantle of tens of thousands of Japanese open water swimmers in London.
Watch Kida and the rest of the 41 Olympic hopefuls live on Portuguese television here on June 9th.
Photos courtesy of Coach Ryo.
Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source
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.
Latest posts by Steven Munatones (see all)
