Takeshi Matsuda
Takeshi Matsuda (松田 丈志, Matsuda Takeshi, born June 23, 1984) is a retired Japanese Olympic, 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
[edit]Early years
[edit]Matsuda was born in the rural town of Nobeoka, Miyazaki, where he began swimming at the age of 4 at a local pool. 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
[edit]At the 2004 Olympic Games, Matsuda placed 8th in the 400 m freestyle final.
2008 Olympics
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]At his final Olympics,[4] Matsuda won a bronze medal in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay.
Personal bests
[edit]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
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Japanese Medalists in London 2012 Olympics". joc.or.jp. Japanese Olympic Committee. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
- ^ "FINA World Cup, Tokyo: Takeshi Matsuda Rattles 200 Fly World Record During Day One Finals". 12 November 2011.
- ^ "Takeshi Matsuda - Swimming - Olympic Athlete | London 2012". Archived from the original on 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
- ^ Race, Loretta (September 2, 2016). "Japanese Stalwart Takeshi Matsuda Set To Retire This Month". Swimswam. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
External links
[edit]- Takeshi Matsuda at World Aquatics
- Takeshi Matsuda at Olympedia
- Takeshi Kojima, Greenhouse to Water Cube / Matsuda's unorthodox training bears fruit in Beijing, / Yomiuri Shimbun, 14 August 2008
Asian Games champions in men's 200 m butterfly | |
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Asian Games Champions in Men's 4×200 m Freestyle Relay | |
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- 1984 births
- Living people
- Olympic swimmers for Japan
- Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Olympic silver medalists for Japan
- Olympic bronze medalists for Japan
- Sportspeople from Miyazaki Prefecture
- Olympic bronze medalists in swimming
- World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
- Asian Games medalists in swimming
- Swimmers at the 2002 Asian Games
- Swimmers at the 2006 Asian Games
- Swimmers at the 2010 Asian Games
- Swimmers at the 2014 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Asian Games gold medalists for Japan
- Asian Games silver medalists for Japan
- Asian Games bronze medalists for Japan
- Japanese male butterfly swimmers
- Japanese male freestyle swimmers
- Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Olympic silver medalists in swimming
- Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games
- Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games
- Summer World University Games medalists in swimming
- FISU World University Games gold medalists for Japan
- Medalists at the 2003 Summer Universiade
- Medalists at the 2005 Summer Universiade
- 21st-century Japanese sportsmen