Graduate School of Sport SciencesWaseda University

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University President congratulates Waseda Olympic swimmers

On August 31, University President Kaoru Kamata met Daiya Seto (4th year), Masato Sakai (3rd year), and Ippei Watanabe (2nd year), who are members of the Swimming Club and students at the School of Sport Sciences, at Okuma Auditorium and officially congratulated them on their success at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

The swimmers were also greeted by Vice President for Promotion of Sports and Olympic/Paralympic Projects Isao Muraoka and Athletic Center Associate Director Masao Iwai. The Swimming Club’s Head Coach Keisuke Okuno, Coach Satoru Kajikawa, and Coach Takayuki Umehara also attended (both Okuno and Umehara are swimming coaches for the 2016 Olympics Japan National Team).

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Messages from the head coach, athletes, and coaches

Head Coach Keisuke Okuno

The outcomes of their success are the results of hard work put in by Daiya, Masato, and Ippei with an awareness of competing internationally as members of Team Japan. Although each of them has areas to work on for even better performance, I believe they gave it their all. Through this experience, I earnestly hope these three swimmers will become further motivated to aim higher and grow as athletes, students, and Waseda alumni, contributing to society at large.

Daiya Seto

This was the first Olympic game for me, but I could compete with confidence. There are challenges I must overcome, so I would like to train harder for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics four years from now. The Top Athletic Scholarship awarded by the Waseda University Alumni Association has allowed me to dedicate my time to training and academic commitments. I was able to bring this bronze medal home because of such support.

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Masato Sakai

I am grateful for the encouraging support I received and extremely happy that I won this silver medal. However, I do not want to be satisfied with my current result. I look forward to taking home the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and further contributing to Waseda University by doing my best at the Inter College Swimming Championships.

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Ippei Watanabe

I appreciate everyone’s generous support. I was so delighted to compete on the international stage of the Olympic game, a dream and goal of mine ever since I started swimming. Unlike Daiya and Masato, I could not bring a medal back with me, but I did set the Olympic record in the semifinal. In the upcoming opportunities of next year’s FINA World Aquatics Championships, the Asian Swimming Championships in the year after next, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, I am eager to take a medal home.

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Coach Satoru Kajikawa

The three athletes here today have made incredible achievements in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. However, I believe they are not 100% satisfied with their performance, and I believe this experience will drive their ambition towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We would very much appreciate your support for them four years from now.

Coach Takayuki Umehara

I would like to express my gratitude for the generous support we have received. As Daiya’s coach, I was given this great opportunity to be part of Waseda’s Swimming Club. I remember as if it were just recently when Daiya entered university, but he will be graduating next year. Time flies, but I am glad Daiya was able to give back to the University while he was still a student. There is not much time left in his university days, but your continuous support will be very much appreciated.

Messages from the University President and the Vice President for Promotion of Sports and Olympic/Paralympic Projects

President Kaoru Kamata

Congratulations to Daiya, Masato, and Ippei on your splendid achievements of winning the silver and bronze medals as well as setting the new Olympic record. You have made Waseda proud, and at the same time, become an inspiration for the Japanese people. I am sure you have mixed feelings of being satisfied yet regretful of your performance during the Olympic Games. Under the guidance of your coach, I hope you will stay motivated, that anything is possible, and win the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. I have high expectations for all of you to become leaders and help aspiring Olympic swimmers and contribute to competitive swimming as a whole.

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Vice President Isao Muraoka

Many athletes from Waseda University’s Swimming Club have left great legacies. Moreover, approximately 600,000 alumni live around the globe, and I am very sure they were moved by your performances. Your dedication towards sports will definitely bear fruitful in the coming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Congratulations on your amazing achievements.

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Records of the three athletes in the 2016 Olympic Games

Daiya Seto

Men’s individual-medley 4:09.71 (Bronze medal)
Men7s 200-meter butterfly 1:54.82 (5th place)

Masato Sakai

Men’s 200-meter butterfly 1:53.40 (Silver medal)

Ippei Watanabe

Men’s 200-meter breaststroke 2:07.87 (6th place)
(Olympic record of 2:07.22 in the semifinal)

19 Waseda affiliated athletes participated in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Eight of them are students and alumni from the Swimming Club, and another student competed in water polo. Additionally, Takayuki Suzuki (Swimming Club alumni, Class of 2009, School of Education) and Junpei Kimura(Swimming Club alumni, Class of 2007, School of Education) will compete in swimming and triathlon in the 2016 Paralympic Games, respectively, totaling to eleven athletes from Waseda’s Swimming Club participating in this summer’s biggest event.

We would appreciate your warm and ongoing support for the total of five athletes from Waseda University participating in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games.

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