Talk:Kosuke Kitajima

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I am a Japanese native, so I will not say I am not biased. However, I strongly believe Kitajima does not use butterfly kick as a "style" in his stroke, as implied in the article. The butterfly kick was arguably observed at the 2004 Olympics at the beginning of the 100m race, with the USA Swimming subsequently logging a formal complaint. USA Swimming or any other federations, as far as I am aware, have never logged similar complains against Kitajima at any other time. Kitajima won World titles back in 2003 and was a world record holder before that. Given he has been a world class swimmer for quite some time and no complaints have been logged about this style except in one (albeit high-profile) occasion, it is incorrect to imply he does it intentionally and consistently.

• I'm pretty sure that Brendan Hansen and his coach Eddie Reese also the US head coach didn't do a protest. Aaron Peirsol made a verbal complaint to the media?Blnguyen | Have your say!!! 06:32, 4 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

To clarify things just a little, it's specifically a downward dolphin-kicking motion that was illegal at the time of the 2004 Olympics. See FINA rule SW 7.5 (2002-2005 rules) "...A scissors, flutter or downward dolphin kick is not permitted...." and compare it to the current rules FINA rules SW 7.4 and 7.5 (2005-2009 rules). SW 7.4 says that "After the start and after each turn, the swimmer may take one arm stroke completely back to the legs. The head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke. A single downward dolphin kick followed by a breaststroke kick is permitted while wholly submerged. ... A dolphin kick is not part of the cycle and is only permitted at the start and turn whilst the arms are pulling back to the legs or after the arm pull whilst wholly submerged followed by a breaststroke kick." and SW 7.5 was modified to read "...A scissors, flutter or downward dolphin kick is not permitted except as in SW 7.4...." The rules were modified in this manner mainly because many swimming officials could not tell when the kick was being executed. An upward motion is legal (provided it is not followed by a downward kick), and the downward kick is only legal during the pullout off of each wall. –Pakman044 19:31, 20 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I am Japanese but find it rather NPOV and immature to start the career description of a double-double Olympic gold medalist with criticisms of his stroke style. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.17.190.138 (talk) 20:10, 17 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I think that he says "chou kimochi ii" not "chou kimochi" in the post race interview.--Timtak 12:33, 31 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]