{"id":451237,"date":"2020-10-29T15:45:17","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T22:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=451237"},"modified":"2020-10-30T06:18:22","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T13:18:22","slug":"entering-second-isl-match-kosuke-kitajima-impressed-by-tokyo-frog-kings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/entering-second-isl-match-kosuke-kitajima-impressed-by-tokyo-frog-kings\/","title":{"rendered":"Entering Second ISL Match, Kosuke Kitajima Impressed by Tokyo Frog Kings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Entering Second ISL Match, Kosuke Kitajima Impressed by Tokyo Frog Kings<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the idea of a Japanese team in the International Swimming League arose last year, Kosuke Kitajima\u2019s<\/strong> task was clear. In conversations with ISL founder Konstantin Grigorishin,<\/strong> both men knew that for the ISL to live up to truly \u201cinternational\u201d billing, it would need a foothold in Asia and a bridge to the deep well of Japanese talent.<\/p>\n

Showcasing Japan\u2019s best swimmers was the lodestar Kitajima followed in building what would become the Tokyo Frog Kings<\/a>. And the early returns, after Tokyo\u2019s first ISL match last week, are immensely positive.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst and foremost, thinking about how we really started from nothing virtually six months ago, it\u2019s truly amazing that we were able to bring a team together to Hungary to compete, and I really am honored to have been able to bring these swimmers together and compete here,\u201d Kitajima told Swimming World<\/em> Wednesday, via a translator, from inside the Budapest bubble. \u201cIt\u2019s a feat in itself. My impression is that all the swimmers are enjoying themselves. \u2026 It was important for me to bring the best team possible as well, and I\u2019m quite confident I was able to bring the best of the best on this team.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the results of ISL Match 3<\/a>, held last Saturday and Sunday at Duna Arena, the rest of the league\u2019s eyes are open to that talent. The Frog Kings finished second to the LA Current in their debut, amassing 506.5 points and giving the Current (535.5) a battle until the skins race. The performance puts the Frog Kings in a strong position to qualify for the semifinals and possibly make a run to the finals.<\/p>\n

\"_MineKasapoglu-DSC00918\"

Suzuka Hasegawa of the Tokyo Frog Kings set the ISL record in the women’s 200 fly in her debut; Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu\/ISL<\/p><\/div>\n

Tokyo returns to action in Match 5 this Saturday and Sunday, tangling with the Current, DC Trident and London Roar. They have a tough go in Match 7 against London Roar (winner of Match 1) and the Cali Condors (champion in Matches 2 and 4).<\/p>\n

Kosuke Kitajima is pleased with the first performance. Tokyo\u2019s success is built on the roster\u2019s Japanese core<\/a>: 22 of 31 swimmers (10 men, 12 women) hail from Japan. None have ISL experience, with the only Japanese swimmer in the inaugural season Daiya Seto,<\/strong> who bowed out of Season 2 for personal reasons.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Frog Kings were strategic in doling out international spots<\/a> to athletes with ISL experience (Russia\u2019s Vlad Morozov,<\/strong> American Leah Smith,<\/strong> Canadian Markus Thormeyer<\/strong>) or seasoned veterans like Bruno Fratus.<\/strong> But the team is overwhelmingly composed of Japanese swimmers in their first ISL campaign.<\/p>\n

That brings a slew of adjustments. Japanese swimmers, unlike those from other countries, are familiar with the team concept from the country\u2019s university system and regional competition. But competing with swimmers from all over the world is new. And being immersed in the professional, swim-focused environment that is the bubble is new to everyone.<\/p>\n

So far, they\u2019ve proven more than up to the task.<\/p>\n

\u201cJapanese swimmers are in a very top position in the world,\u201d Kitajima said. \u201cIn that way, it was quite imperative that many of our top swimmers are Japanese. Especially after this first race, I felt that a lot of our Japanese swimmers see the potential of what ISL could become. Although we have a long way to go in terms of working with the federations of the various nations, we do believe this is something that\u2019s worth doing, and by participating, it was the first step to expressing their belief in ISL.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Japanese contingent has pushed into a top spot in ISL quickly. Through four matches, the Frog Kings\u2019 Japanese swimmers boast 21 times in the top seven of 17 different individual events. And it\u2019s not even just the names \u2013 like Ryosuke Irie<\/strong> and Kosuke<\/strong> Hagino<\/strong> \u2013 that casual Olympics watchers would recognize.<\/p>\n

Suzuka Hasegawa<\/strong> impressed most, setting the ISL record in the women\u2019s 200 fly at 2:03.12. Hagino holds the top time in the men\u2019s 400 individual medley, where he\u2019s the reigning Olympic champ, and Katsuhiro Matsumoto<\/strong> is the pace-setter in the men\u2019s 200 freestyle. Irie (men\u2019s 100 back), Yui Ohashi<\/strong> (women\u2019s 200 IM and 400 IM) and Takeshi Kawamoto <\/strong>(men\u2019s 50 fly) are each second in events. The Frog Kings women\u2019s medley relay also has the second-fastest time of the ISL\u2019s first two weeks.<\/p>\n

With so many first-timers and young stars, Kitajima sees the experience as a vital part of swimmers\u2019 professional development. It\u2019s particularly valuable given the home Olympic Games looming this summer and the pitched competition for spots at those Games.<\/p>\n

Kosuke Kitajima knows firsthand the importance of such competition. The four-time Olympic gold medalist and breaststroke world-record holder swam at four Olympics after a career spanning nearly two decades. The 38-year-old was a renowned racer. The prospect of him in an event like breaststroke skins is tantalizing.<\/p>\n

The ISL stands apart from what he experienced in his career. But if something like the league existed during his career, Kitajima thinks he would\u2019ve certainly availed himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it was always about excelling as an individual and performing as an individual swimmer,\u201d he said. \u201cYou represent your country, but I do believe if there was an opportunity for me to be in such a league, I believe it would\u2019ve been great to make myself known the world over about my performance and about myself. I would\u2019ve really been excited and very likely into racing in this league.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Entering Second ISL Match, Kosuke Kitajima Impressed by Tokyo Frog Kings When the idea of a Japanese team in the International Swimming League arose last year, Kosuke Kitajima\u2019s task 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