VIDEO| Japanese swim instructor at Yokota chases his Olympic dream

Shotaro Shimazaki, 27, a swimming instructor at Yokota Air Base, Japan, is a competitive breaststroker who plans to enter trials that will determine who competes for Japan at the summer games in Tokyo. (THERON GODBOLD/STARS AND STRIPES)
Shotaro Shimazaki, 27, a swimming instructor at Yokota Air Base, Japan, is a competitive breaststroker who plans to enter trials that will determine who competes for Japan at the summer games in Tokyo. (THERON GODBOLD/STARS AND STRIPES)

VIDEO| Japanese swim instructor at Yokota chases his Olympic dream

by Theron Godbold
Stripes Japan
December 23, 2020

Just one second separates a swimming instructor at the home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo from his dream of representing Japan at next year’s Olympic Games.

Produced by Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes

 

Subscribe to our Stripes Pacific newsletter and receive amazing travel stories, great event info, cultural information, interesting lifestyle articles and more directly in your inbox!

Follow us on social media!

Facebook: Stars and Stripes Pacific
Flipboard: Stars and Stripes Community Sites

Looking to travel while stationed abroad? Check out our other Pacific community sites!
Stripes Okinawa
Stripes Korea
Stripes Guam

Recommended Content

Commercial aircraft arrive at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo after being diverted from Narita International Airport following a major earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. SAMUEL MORSE/U.S. AIR FORCE
Tokyo eyes nearby US air base for handling flights during Olympics
U.S. Olympic swimmer Anthony Ervin speaks to Japanese and American children at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, Aug. 26, 2019. Ervin spoke to children from local Japanese swim teams and the MCAS Iwakuni Tsunami swim team during a State Department sponsored visit to various locations in Japan. The purpose of Ervin’s visit was to inspire children, teach them how to swim better, and provide insight into what it is like to be an Olympian. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Andrew Jones)
Go for Gold Olympic swimming workshop with Anthony Ervin
Photos courtesy of Capt. Jessica Sprunger
Yokota swimmers, take your mark…GO!
The Air Force released candidate lists for Officer Instructor and Recruiting Special Duty, Aug. 2, 2019. This program is the next significant milestone in the Air Force’s initiative to transform the officer talent management process used to fill education, training and recruiting positions. (U.S. Air Force graphic by Kat Bailey)
Air Force releases officer instructor and recruiting special duty candidate lists

Around the Web