Olympian Coaching Tour (Artistic Swimming Class) Held at Wakuwaku Oji Hiroba

Olympic Athletes Lead Artistic Swimming Class at Wakuwaku Oji Hiroba
On August 28th, an exciting artistic swimming class was held at Wakuwaku Oji Hiroba, featuring Olympic medalists. Mikako Kotani, who won bronze medals in both solo and duet synchronized swimming (now known as artistic swimming) at the Seoul Olympics, joined the event. Mayu Fujimaru, who earned a silver medal in synchronized swimming as part of the team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, served as an instructor. We were also honored to have Atsushi Abe, who won bronze in both the “Technical” and “Free” mixed duet categories at the 2019 World Swimming Championships, as a guest.
A total of 24 children participated, learning various techniques such as the “bent knee” move, where they challenge themselves to raise their knees above the water while in a prone position. After practicing, they performed a choreography set to music, incorporating the skills they had just learned. The session concluded with a live exhibition of Olympians’ routines, which captivated the audience and earned a round of applause for their beautiful, synchronized performances.
At the end of the event, the children had the opportunity to ask questions, and Mikako Kotani shared her inspiring perspective: “I continue to practice artistic swimming even now, and I find that I can perform more challenging techniques and create more beautiful routines than I could in my twenties. The most important thing is to keep challenging yourself, no matter your age.” Her words left a lasting impression not only on the children but also on the adults in attendance.
We are committed to providing more opportunities for children to take on new challenges and explore the world of artistic swimming.