Tsuyoshi Yamanaka facts for kids
Yamanaka (center) at the 1960 Olympics
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 18 January 1939 Wajima, Ishikawa, Empire of Japan |
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| Died | 10 February 2017 (aged 78) Tokyo, Japan |
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| Height | 171 cm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 75 kg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Tsuyoshi Yamanaka (山中 毅, Yamanaka Tsuyoshi, 18 January 1939 – 10 February 2017) was a famous Japanese freestyle swimmer. He was born in Wajima, Japan. Tsuyoshi was known for his incredible speed in the water. He competed in three different Olympic Games.
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka won four silver medals for Japan. He also set many world records. He is remembered as one of the best swimmers of his time.
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Tsuyoshi Yamanaka: An Olympic Swimmer
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka was a top swimmer from Japan. He competed in the Olympic Games in 1956, 1960, and 1964. He specialized in freestyle swimming. This means he swam the fastest style, often called the crawl.
Olympic Achievements
Tsuyoshi was very successful at the Olympics. He won four silver medals.
- In 1956, at the Melbourne Olympics, he won silver in the 400 meter freestyle. He also got silver in the 1500 meter freestyle.
- In 1960, at the Rome Olympics, he won another silver in the 400 meter freestyle. He also earned a silver medal in the 4 × 200 meter freestyle relay. This is a team race.
- In 1964, he helped Japan win a bronze medal in the 4 × 200 meter relay. He swam in an earlier race that helped his team qualify.
At the 1960 Olympics, Tsuyoshi swam the fastest part of the 4 × 200 meter relay. Even with his speed, his team finished second to the United States.
Asian Games Success
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka also did very well at the 1958 Asian Games. These games were held in Tokyo, Japan. He won two gold medals there.
- He won gold in the 400 meter freestyle event.
- He also won gold in the 1500 meter freestyle event.
Breaking World Records
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka was not just an Olympic medalist. He was also a world record holder. He studied at the University of Southern California for a while.
- In 1961, he broke the 200 meter freestyle world record three times. He did this in just two months!
- He had set two other 200 meter records earlier, in 1958 and 1959.
- Tsuyoshi also set a world record for the 400 meter freestyle in 1959.
- His relay teams set three world records in the 4 × 200 meter freestyle relay. These were in 1959 and 1963.
It's interesting that the 200 meter freestyle was not an Olympic event in those years.
A Unique Coach
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka had a very interesting way of training. His coach used small pebbles to help him. When Tsuyoshi would relax too much during training, his coach would throw a pebble at his back. This was a signal to work harder. After each training session, Tsuyoshi had to collect all the pebbles from the bottom of the pool. This helped him stay focused and strong.
Later Life and Legacy
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka graduated from Waseda University in Japan. After his swimming career, he led the Itoman Swimming School in Osaka. This school helps teach new swimmers.
In 1983, Tsuyoshi Yamanaka was honored for his amazing career. He was added to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the greatest swimmers in history.
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka passed away on February 10, 2017. He was 78 years old. He died in Tokyo, Japan.
See also
In Spanish: Tsuyoshi Yamanaka para niños
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
