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[ODDS and EVENS] Swimmer Yui Ohashi Shows the Timeless Value of Gratitude

By winning the 200-meter IM title on the last day of Japan's Olympic trials, Yui Ohashi qualified for the Paris Games. She called it a "wonderful feeling."

Published

1 month ago

March 29, 2024

Ed Odeven

Yui Ohashi competes in the butterfly portion of the women's 200-meter individual medley final at Japan's Olympic trials on March 24, 2024, at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. (KYODO)

Read the full story on SportsLook - [ODDS and EVENS] Swimmer Yui Ohashi Shows the Timeless Value of Gratitude

Swimmer Yui Ohashi achieved Olympic glory at the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Games. It was a fantastic achievement: two gold medals in four days.

And since we are constantly bombarded with news on an endless array of topics 24/7, it wouldn't be surprising if these impressive facts slipped from your mind. Don't worry about it!

Now, three years later, she will seek to write a new chapter to her Olympic biography (more on that below).

In the Japanese capital, Ohashi's dynamic double began in the women's 400-meter individual medley (competing, in order, in the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 25, 2021. She conquered the field with a time of 4 minutes, 32.08 seconds.

And then on July 28, the determined swimmer from Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, completed the IM double, grabbing the gold in 2:08.52.

Ohashi was 25 when she hauled in two Olympic gold medals and brought joy to countless fans in her homeland while etching her name in the annals of swimming.

The second of the two individual medleys showcased her intense focus in the pool.

"I swam the last part of the race thinking win or lose, I want to be able to say I have no regrets," Ohashi told reporters after winning the 200 IM.

Ohashi Secures a Spot on Japan's 2024 Olympic Swim Team

Three years later, the 28-year-old Ohashi is happy to be returning to the Olympics. She has qualified to represent Japan in the women's 200 IM, after missing out on securing a spot on the team in the 400 IM.

At Japan's Olympic trials on March 19, Ohashi finished a disappointing fourth in the 400 IM (4:38.89) at the same venue that staged Tokyo 2020's swimming competitions. High school student Mio Narita, 17, was the top performer in the race, touching the wall in 4:35.40.

The next wave of generational talent is always arriving, always coming of age in sports. Narita is a part of the next generation of swimmers.

That doesn't mean, however, that Ohashi is ready to hang up her swimming goggles.

She said as much after her fourth-place result.

"Not managing to make the Olympic team means retirement," Ohashi told reporters, according to Kyodo News. "I want to get in at any cost."

Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.