fter two victories in Athens, Kitajima hit a snag and was unable to break any more records. Although he agonized over his slump, giving up never entered his mind. The euphoria of victory is a feeling too deeply etched into his soul. “There were times when I was worried about my performance last year, and then it was the 2007 World Championships and the Japanese Championships I think when I was finally able to regain my form,” says Kitajima. He earned a gold medal in the 200-meter at the World Championships, a preliminary battle to next year’s Beijing Olympics. He followed his gold with a first-place win in the 200-meter at the Japanese Championships, and took his eighth consecutive title in the 100-meter. How does he sustain his motivation through such a grueling series of back-to-back races? “In swimming, preparation is not just for the finals, but for the trials and semifinals as well. The races come one after the other, and the best part is that you never know what the results will be until you dive in and swim. To this day, I get butterflies in my stomach before I race. I go into each race wanting to give it my all, even if I’m physically and mentally exhausted. That way, when I reach the finish line, I can mentally say to myself, ‘I’m done!’ knowing that I gave it my all up to the end. “And that’s why the feeling I get when I finish a race is so incredible,” says a beaming Kitajima. In a world where races are lost or won by hundredths of a second, the slightest fluctuation in emotion can change the outcome of a race. Psychological strength is important, and Kitajima really has it. He says, “I trained hard before these races, but my focus was on getting through both the World Championships and the Japanese Championships so I could get ready for the next event.” itajima started swimming at the age of five and has been at it ever since. What exactly does being in the water mean to him? “I’ve been competing in the water for 20 years now, so I associate being in water with competing. So just being in the water doesn’t really mean anything to me; it’s winning a race that’s so great. I do admit, though, there was a time when just the experience of swimming was more fun that getting the results... “When I set a new record or take first place in a race for the first time-those are moments when I really feel great, when I feel that swimming is really rewarding.” At no time in his career has he ever wanted to stop swimming. Kitajima does say, however, that if he didn’t think he could break records or produce good results, he wouldn’t get into the water. This is the world of competitive swimming, where results are what counts. For Kitajima, swimming is the one activity where he can “show the world what I’m made of,” and the higher the hurdle, the harder he pushes himself. He believes that you have to work with the water to win. “When you’re feeling good, you can do no wrong. But when you just aren’t feeling it, it’s critical to work with the water to somehow pull yourself together.” evertheless, a strong frame of mind and a well trained body alone are not enough to win races. The swimsuit is a swimmer’s companion and a vital part of any swimmer’s success. “Your swimsuit is a crucial part of the race. And I get such a rush when I put the Mizuno logo on to swim,” says Kitajima. “Mizuno has created such an excellent swimsuit that I feel inspired to swim in a way that’s worthy of the name. Not only is it a great product, when I’m wearing it, I want to work my hardest for a strong performance as a way to demonstrate my appreciation for everyone who has supported me. When I’m wearing my swimsuit, all my worries vanish and I can focus on the race because my swimsuit is top quality. I also feel really lucky knowing I have a swimsuit that fits me just right.” Kitajima says he has complete confidence in the people who created the swimsuit. “Before a race, there’s nothing better than a swimsuit that feels like a part of your own skin.” “Stress comes at me from a lot of different directions, but when I put on my swimsuit, my focus comes together. Wearing the suit makes me feel good about the image I project so I’m prepared for the race.” When the swimsuit is on, the swimmer and the water fuse into one. There is no freer place to be than in the water. There, the concept of “rivals” seems to almost melt away. hat does Kitajima look for in a swimsuit? “I’m really particular about what I wear. I have to be able to move easily. I can’t compromise one bit on this point because I need to perform my best.” When the swimsuit is on, the swimmer and water are as one. It’s like having a shield of confidence projecting from you as that fighting spirit wells up through your psyche. “For competitive swimmers, the only way to judge the excellence of Mizuno swimsuits is the results they produce. Swimmers demand the best. And when other swimmers perceive the confidence I give off when I wear a Mizuno swimsuit, they will want to get one as well.” As one of the world’s top swimmers, Kitajima knows that the attention of the world is focused on him and expects that people will be watching him. When the interview turns to the topic of children, he becomes serious. “When kids see something that someone’s wearing, they have this reaction where they think, ‘Wow, isn’t that cool?’ I used to react like that, too. So my hope is that when they see me wearing my Mizuno swimsuit, they’ll get drawn to the water, that they’ll realize how great swimming is. I hope that they’ll use swimming to aim for the world, to achieve their dreams. The road to becoming a competitive swimmer is a tough one filled with setbacks, but I hope I can convey to them that the fun and excitement you get when swimming is something you cannot experience if you’re a landlubber. I hope I can be a positive influence in spreading the word of how fun swimming is.” As he says this, Kitajima’s persona radiates a sense of leadership, clearly ready to guide Japanese competitive swimming. The Beijing Olympics are less than 15 months away. With Kitajima making the gold medal list in Athens, we asked him what his aspirations were for the upcoming games. “With the Olympics coming up next year, I want to work my way up gradually, shooting for a final goal of peaking at the Games. To that end, I’d like to focus my efforts differently than I did this year. I don’t necessarily want to surpass what I did before, but I do want to work positively so that I’m performing at least at the level I was swimming at before,” said Kitajima, drawing from his past experience. Since Athens, he has experienced lows and also risen to great heights. But his focus now is set firmly on Beijing. Inseparable from his “Mizuno Swim” swimsuit, Kitajima is working to maximize his mental and physical strength so that he can focus even more sharply on his goal.