Swimmer Kitajima surprised at rival Hansen's flop

Saturday 05th July, 07:39 AM JST

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11 Comments

pathat at 08:24 AM JST - 5th July

‘‘It shouldn’t have been so difficult for a swimmer of his (Hansen’s) caliber to make the Olympic team.’’

Hansen flopped, true, but what Kitajima fails to take into account is that there are often 3rd and th place swimmers at the U.S. Olympic trials who are better than other countries` swimmers, but cannot go because of the numbers game. Hansen seemed to peak too soon before the Athens Olympics as well. When it is all said and done, U.S. swimmers will crush the Japanese in the medal standings.
soothsayer at 08:40 AM JST - 5th July

pathat,

‘‘I had a feeling that he might not win but never thought he would fail to make the team (for Beijing),’’

So said Kitajima, taking into account that the U.S has plenty of strong swimmers, and not really comparing them to swimmers in other countries because he, unlike another we could mention, has no apparent inferiority complex that he needs to placate with vicarious rah-rah about how the mighty American swim team will crush the puny Japanese.
flash1480 at 09:50 AM JST - 5th July

Pathat, kitajima is no slouch.
pathat at 12:42 PM JST - 5th July

soothsayer: Have you read his blog about the part where he calls Hansen mentally weak? He`d better hope he wins the 100m or he is going to look pretty stupid.

I have great respect for Kitajimas ability as a swimmer. Lets hope that he can walk the walk next month and make up for the inferiority complexes/lack of ability of most of the other Japanese swimmers.
nalunui05 at 12:58 PM JST - 5th July

Hansen flopped. Well it's my opinion that he "skipped out" on the big showdown with Kitajima. Kosuke has the drive, and the spirit to win. Such a shame for the USA. Hansen appears to me too laxed and weak, and full of excuses.

Kitajima will kick ass again... Go Kosuke!
ChicagoResident at 02:34 PM JST - 5th July

Kitajima DID break a World Record ...that seems significant. Doesn't it? Go Kosuke!
pathat at 04:17 PM JST - 5th July

Well it's my opinion that he "skipped out" on the big showdown with Kitajima.

They will have their showdown in the 100m and, if the U.S. trials are anything to go by, Kitajima will definitely be the favorite.

Such a shame for the USA.

Let`s compare the medal counts at the end of the swimming competition in Beijing. I bet it will be a medal rush for the U.S., and pretty much a medal hush for Japan-other than for Kitajima and one or two others.

GO USA!
stanoue at 07:46 PM JST - 5th July

Hah - Aussie swimmers will give the US and Japanese a run for their money...
RSarosdy at 08:59 AM JST - 6th July

Kitajima's comments remind us once again that he is an athlete without class. The entire world watched his dolphin kick off the wall at the Athens Olympics -- for which he should have been disqualified -- followed by his "primal scream." Can he win without cheating again in Beijing? Perhaps. But the mark of a great athlete is not just winning; it is how he handles both winning and losing. Kitajima is not even in the same league as Brendan Hansen when it comes to what being a real athlete is all about.
rajakumar at 06:25 PM JST - 8th July

Go, Kitajima, Go. Hold or break the record.
Blue_Tiger at 12:18 AM JST - 12th July

Kitajima may be all sad that Hansen won't compete with him in the 200 breast, but the J-Media couldn't be happier. They musth ave replayed and replayed Hansen's loss a hundred times in the days following hansen's 4th place finish. It's one of the reasons I cannot stand to cheer for Japan in any international event (and I really do want to, especially when they take on Red China or North Korea): their media hypes and hypes and hypes ad. nauseum....