Courtesy of Meidai Sports, Odaiba Marine Park, Tokyo.

Yasunari Hirai who finished eighth in the 10 km marathon swim at the 2016 Rio Olympics, improving from his 15th placing at the 2012 London Olympics, has high hopes for a medal in his hometown of Tokyo in August 2020.

Like Xin Tong and Fang Yanqiao of China at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Keri-Anne Payne and Daniel Fogg of Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics, and Poliana Okimoto, Ana Marcela Cunha, and Allan do Carmo of Brazil at the 2016 Rio Olympics, there is a significant amount of pressure and media attention on Hirai and his fellow Japanese Olympic swimming hopefuls.

Ultimately, only Okimoto has been able to stand on the Olympic podium in her home country. Hirai plans on being the first male swimmers to do the same.

Lower photo shows bottles of YASU WATER (ヤス ウォーター) that distributed and sold in Japan also featuring Hirai.

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