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Takeshi KAWAMOTO
Sport Swimming
NOC Japan   
GenderMen
Born19 Feb 1995 in Seto, JPN
Height1.74 m
 Human Interest 
Further Personal Information
Residence
Toyota, JPN
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
Toyota Motor Corporation: Japan
Further Personal Information
Higher education
Sports Science - Chukyo University: Japan
Languages
Japanese
General Interest
Hobbies
Listening to music, dancing. (toyotatimes.jp, 06 Apr 2021)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
He was encouraged by his older brother Yuta. He began focusing on butterfly after entering Chukyo University. "When I was little, my feelings of not wanting to lose to my classmates was stronger than my desire to chase after my brother. I remember picking someone to compete against as a sort of motivation. I thought I must not lose to him."
General Interest
Awards and honours
In 2009 he received the Seto City Sports Achievement Award in Japan. (city.seto.aichi.jp, 11 Jan 2010)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began the sport at age three at Meitetsu Swimming School in Japan.
General Interest
Injuries
He was sidelined for two months in 2017 due to a right elbow injury. (global.toyota, 26 Jul 2019)
Most influential person in career
His parents and daughter. (chunichi.co.jp, 09 Apr 2021; global.toyota, 26 Jul 2019)
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Athlete, Office Worker
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Do your best and let the heavens do the rest." (global.toyota, 26 Jul 2019)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach
Takayuki Umehara [national], JPN
Further Personal Information
Family
Daughter Ema [2020]
General Interest
Hero / Idol
Singaporean swimmer Joseph Schooling. (toyotatimes.jp, 13 Apr 2021)
Sport Specific Information
Training Regime
He has trained with his older brother Yuta Kawamoto who is an orthopaedic physiotherapist He has copied training methods used by the New Zealand rugby union [15-a-side] team. "Weight training always reminded me of lifting heavy barbells. However, when I researched New Zealand's rugby players who can move agilely despite being so big, I found that they use a machine that helped them work on their speed by doing repeated lifts using light weights. Therefore I adopted that to my training."
General Interest
Other information
STRETCHING BENEFITS
He believes that his ability in butterfly is a result of the leg stretching exercises he has done since childhood. "My advantage is the kick. I think my legs are the ones to beat when it comes to the butterfly dolphin kicks, not only in Japan but also in the world. It may be because I have always stretched a lot since I was a kid, so my ankles became more and more flexible. Thanks to that, even though I was already naturally muscular to begin with, I was able to make my dolphin kicks even stronger as I gained more muscle. I think the propulsion of the dolphin kick helps me swim faster." (toyotatimes.jp, 13 Apr 2021)
Ambitions
To win a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (toyotatimes.jp, 22 Mar 2024)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
20 2021 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 51.93
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Semifinal 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 50m Backstroke 25.14
Heats 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 50m Butterfly 23.79
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 100m Butterfly 52.45
Semifinal 2015 Kazan, RUS 50m Butterfly 23.74
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Semifinal 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 50m Backstroke 23.19
Semifinal 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 50m Butterfly 22.50
4 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:23.80
5 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay  
4 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 4 x 50m Medley Relay  
6 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 100m Butterfly 50.07
5 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Butterfly 22.50
3 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:21.07
4 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:37.67
6 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:24.69
6 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 100m Butterfly 50.37
8 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 50m Butterfly 22.84 
4 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:32.62
3 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:24.71
3 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 50m Medley Relay  
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
7 2022 Indianapolis, IN, USA 50m Butterfly 22.67
  2022 Indianapolis, IN, USA 100m Butterfly  DSQ
7 2022 Indianapolis, IN, USA 50m Backstroke 23.38
7 2022 Toronto, ON, CAN 50m Backstroke 23.76
5 2022 Toronto, ON, CAN 100m Butterfly 50.31
7 2022 Toronto, ON, CAN 50m Butterfly 22.83
6 2019 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 52.03
4 2019 Tokyo, JPN 50m Backstroke 25.13
28 2018   Overall Ranking  
1 2018 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 50.28
3 2018 Tokyo, JPN 50m Backstroke 23.36
3 2018 Tokyo, JPN 50m Butterfly 22.60
5 2017 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 50.79
6 2017 Tokyo, JPN 50m Butterfly 23.13
5 2016 Beijing, CHN 100m Backstroke 50.65
3 2016 Beijing, CHN 50m Butterfly 22.86
2 2016 Beijing, CHN 100m Butterfly 50.55
4 2016 Beijing, CHN 50m Backstroke 23.52
3 2016 Doha, QAT 100m Backstroke 50.65
3 2016 Doha, QAT 50m Butterfly 22.62
2 2016 Doha, QAT 100m Butterfly 50.44
4 2016 Doha, QAT 50m Backstroke 23.52
3 2016 Dubai, UAE 100m Backstroke 50.68
2 2016 Dubai, UAE 100m Butterfly 50.45
5 2016 Dubai, UAE 50m Backstroke 23.52
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 50m Butterfly 22.59
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 49.93
64 2014   Overall  
7 2014 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 51.29
8 2014 Tokyo, JPN 50m Butterfly 23.13
3 2014 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 50.40
8 2014 Tokyo, JPN 50m Backstroke 24.34
5 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 51.25
7 2013 Tokyo, JPN 50m Butterfly 23.42
7 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 51.15
8 2013 Tokyo, JPN 50m Backstroke 24.63
2 2011 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 51.89
Asian Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2016 Tokyo, JPN 50m Butterfly 23.97
3 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 54.39
3 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 52.77
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 100m Backstroke 55.77
3 2012 Dubai, UAE 100m Butterfly 53.17
4 2012 Dubai, UAE 200m Backstroke 2:01.89
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 50m Backstroke 25.82
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:41.10
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 3:23.09
Asian Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
5 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Backstroke 25.36
5 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 50m Butterfly 23.54