Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Japan’s top swimmer Yasunari Hirai had a lot of pressure on him at the 2015 Japan Open Water Swimming Championships (オープンウォータースイミング ジャパンオープン館山) near Tokyo, but the aquatic fashionista came through as expected to win.
His victory guaranteed him a spot to race at the second Olympic 10K Marathon Swim qualifier in Setúbal Bay, Portugal next June. Hirai and the rest of the world will have an opportunity to qualify for the final 15 spots for the 2016 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the final qualification race.
It was his fourth national title at the Japan Open Water Swimming Championships (オープンウォータースイミング ジャパンオープン館山) along the Tateyama Hojo Coast in Chiba Prefecture, south of Tokyo.
With Mount Fuji looming large in the background, Hirai was awarded his title by 1988 Olympic gold medalist and top brass at Japan Swimming Federation Daichi Suzuki.
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association