JapaneseSwimmerOlympicMedalist

Kunihiro Iwasaki

Kunihiro Iwasaki is a retired Japanese swimmer and Olympic medalist, who earned a bronze medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics and multiple gold and silver medals at two Asian Games.

1. Early Life and Education

Kunihiro Iwasaki was born on October 5, 1944, in Oita Prefecture, Japan. For his secondary education, he attended Oita Prefectural Saiki Tsurushiro High School. Following his high school graduation, Iwasaki pursued higher education at Waseda University, where he specialized in the Faculty of Education. His athletic development during these formative years laid the groundwork for his impressive professional swimming career.

2. Swimming Career

Kunihiro Iwasaki's swimming career spanned a notable period in Japanese and international competitive swimming, marked by strong performances at both domestic and major international events, including the Olympic Games and Asian Games.

2.1. Early Career

Iwasaki began to establish himself as a prominent swimmer during his high school years. In the 1962 High School Championships, he demonstrated his dominance by winning both the 100 meter freestyle and 200 meter freestyle events, in addition to securing a victory in the 400 meter relay. As he transitioned to university, his success continued. In 1963, during the Japan Student Championships, he placed third in the 100 meter freestyle and second in the 200 meter freestyle, while also securing gold in the 400 meter relay and 800 meter relay. His second year at Waseda University marked a significant turning point, as he competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

2.2. Olympic Games

Iwasaki participated in two Summer Olympic Games, representing Japan with distinction.

At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, while still a second-year student at Waseda University, Iwasaki achieved his most notable Olympic success. He earned a bronze medal in the men's 4x200 meter freestyle relay. This medal was particularly significant as it was the only medal won by the Japanese swimming team at those Games. He also contributed to the Japanese team's performance in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, where they finished in fourth place.

Iwasaki's second Olympic appearance was at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Though he competed in multiple events, he was unable to secure another medal. His results included reaching the semifinals in the 100 meter freestyle and competing in the preliminary rounds of the 200 meter freestyle. In relay events, the Japanese team placed eighth in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, fifth in the 4x100 meter medley relay, and did not advance past the preliminary rounds in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay.

2.3. Asian Games

Iwasaki demonstrated exceptional prowess at the Asian Games, securing numerous medals across two editions.

At the 1966 Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand, Iwasaki had a remarkable performance, winning four gold medals. He claimed victories in the 100 meter freestyle, where he also set a new Japanese national record, and the 200 meter freestyle. Additionally, he was part of the gold-medal-winning teams for the 4x200 meter freestyle relay and the 4x100 meter medley relay.

He continued his success at the 1970 Asian Games, also held in Bangkok. In this event, Iwasaki achieved a "triple crown," securing gold medals in three events: the 200 meter freestyle, the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, and the 4x200 meter freestyle relay. Furthermore, he added a silver medal to his collection in the 100 meter freestyle.

2.4. Domestic Competitions

Kunihiro Iwasaki maintained a strong presence in domestic Japanese swimming competitions throughout his career, particularly excelling in the Japan Student Championships and Japan Championships.

In the Japan Student Swimming Championships, Iwasaki showcased remarkable consistency and dominance. He achieved three consecutive victories (a "three-peat") in the 100 meter freestyle, 200 meter freestyle, and 400 meter medley relay events. His strength in relay events was even more pronounced, as he led his teams to four consecutive victories (a "four-peat") in both the 400 meter relay and the 800 meter relay. Over his four years of university swimming, Iwasaki secured 11 wins in relay events out of a maximum possible 12 appearances, a record that ties him for the all-time highest number of relay victories in the history of the Japan Student Championships, alongside Shunsuke Ito of Chuo University.

In the Japan Swimming Championships, Iwasaki also achieved significant wins. He won both the 100 meter freestyle and 200 meter freestyle in 1966, 1967, and 1968, demonstrating his continued top-level performance nationally. In 1967, he also secured a second-place finish in the 400 meter freestyle. In 1970, he once again won the 100 meter freestyle, and placed second in the 200 meter freestyle.

3. Major Records and Achievements

Throughout his swimming career, Kunihiro Iwasaki accumulated an impressive list of competitive results and victories at various levels. The following table summarizes his major achievements:

YearCompetitionEventResult
1962High School Championships100m freestyle1st
1962High School Championships200m freestyle1st
1962High School Championships400m relay1st
1963Japan Student Championships100m freestyle3rd
1963Japan Student Championships200m freestyle2nd
1963Japan Student Championships400m relay1st
1963Japan Student Championships800m relay1st
1964Japan Student Championships100m freestyle1st
1964Japan Student Championships200m freestyle1st
1964Japan Student Championships400m relay1st
1964Japan Student Championships800m relay1st
1964Japan Student Championships400m medley relay1st
1964Tokyo Olympics400m relay4th
1964Tokyo Olympics800m relay3rd (Bronze)
1965Japan Student Championships100m freestyle1st
1965Japan Student Championships200m freestyle1st
1965Japan Student Championships400m relay1st
1965Japan Student Championships800m relay1st
1965Japan Student Championships400m medley relay1st
1966Japan Championships100m freestyle1st
1966Japan Championships200m freestyle1st
1966Japan Student Championships100m freestyle1st
1966Japan Student Championships200m freestyle1st
1966Japan Student Championships400m relay1st
1966Japan Student Championships800m relay1st
1966Japan Student Championships400m medley relay1st
1966Asian Games100m freestyle1st (Gold, Japan Record)
1966Asian Games200m freestyle1st (Gold)
1966Asian Games800m relay1st (Gold)
1966Asian Games400m medley relay1st (Gold)
1967Japan Championships100m freestyle1st
1967Japan Championships200m freestyle1st
1967Japan Championships400m freestyle2nd
1968Japan Championships100m freestyle1st
1968Japan Championships200m freestyle1st
1968Mexico City Olympics100m freestyleSemifinals
1968Mexico City Olympics200m freestylePreliminaries
1968Mexico City Olympics400m relay8th
1968Mexico City Olympics800m relayPreliminaries
1968Mexico City Olympics400m medley relay5th
1970Japan Championships100m freestyle1st
1970Japan Championships200m freestyle2nd
1970Asian Games100m freestyle2nd (Silver)
1970Asian Games200m freestyle1st (Gold)
1970Asian Games400m relay1st (Gold)
1970Asian Games800m relay1st (Gold)