Watanabe Emotionally Carries Olympic Torch In Home Town

Former world record holder Ippei Watanabe may not have made the Japanese Olympic team for this summer’s home-based Games, but the man is still holding his head high and helping generate excitement.

24-year-old Watanabe had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch as part of the official relay over the weekend, with the breaststroking ace taking a turn in his native Oita Prefecture.

For Watanabe, the carrying of the Olympic flame was extra emotional. Although he is one of the most dangerous 200m breaststrokers in the world and potentially would have had a shot at an Olympic medal, he was denied a chance to represent his nation at a home-based Games due to two 0ther world-ranked swimmers beating him to the punch at the Japanese Trials.

Rising teen Shoma Sato Sato took the top roster spot at Trials, registering a new national and Asian record of 2:06.40 in the process. Instead of Watanabe as the runner-up swimmer in the race, it was 24-year-old Ryuya Mura who got his hand on the wall next in a huge personal best of 2:07.58. Mura’s unexpected upset swim left Watanabe in the 3rd place position and shut out of the Games.

After somewhat coming to peace with the fact he will be on the sidelines, Watanabe said after his Olympic torch relay leg, “It has been a very hard few weeks since the recent Olympic Trial, and there has not a day or time I do not think about swimming and my race.

“When I saw my family, relatives, friends, and all these people are here to cheer me carrying the torch in my hometown, I am very thankful for their support.  I am wishing everyone on Team Japan for the best.”

In This Story

11
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

11 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Chris
2 years ago

He should be proud of his achievement, being the first man under 2:07, and he is still the Olympic record holder (2:07.22 from the semis of Rio2016).

Landen
2 years ago

Pain. Agony, Even.

WaltzingMatilda
2 years ago

Really appreciate this article. Great example of someone handling disappointment in an exemplary way.

Eisenheim
2 years ago

Man I wish he was going to be swimming at the games. Hope we see him in ’24

Honest Observer
2 years ago

Good for him for being honest, for being a good sport, and for taking such a philosophical attitude. Anyway, he’ll always be able to say he set a WR.

Ghost
2 years ago

Great story!

50free
2 years ago

Class act.

DCSwim
2 years ago

This has me in Spain without this S, I hope we see more from him in the future

Khachaturian
Reply to  DCSwim
2 years ago

Filled me with champagne but without the champ

Littlefin
Reply to  Khachaturian
2 years ago

Agne?

Paella747
Reply to  Littlefin
2 years ago

I get what Khachaturian was going for here, but Littlefin’s post just caused me to bust up laughing at work. LOL 😀

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

Read More »