Japan’s Hagino eyes world records and more gold

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Ahmad Fahad al-Sabah (left) presents Japanese swimmer Kosuke Hagino with the Most Valuable Player award during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon yesterday. Hagino won seven medals, including four golds. (AFP)

DPA/Incheon, South Korea

Hagino collected the Samsung MVP (most valuable player) award at a ceremony at the press centre in Incheon, South Korea.

It was just a few miles away from the pool where he won seven medals, including four golds, from seven events entered.

“I’m honoured to win the prestigious Samsung MVP Award,” Hagino said.  “I’m very happy because I had no idea I could win this award at the beginning of the Asian Games.”

Hagino, now 20, had already won a 400m individual medley bronze at the London Olympics but in the freestyle events in Incheon, he was up against the mighty Park Tae Hwan of South Korea and China’s Sun Yang, who he described as “heavyweights.”

But in the first battle between the trio, Hagino announced his arrival in style, storming home to defeat the pair in the 200m freestyle.

“I was able to compete alongside great swimmers such as Sun Yang and Park Tae Hwan so that was a very exciting and memorable experience for me,” he said. “Park congratulated me after the 200m freestyle final, and I got the impression that he is admirable not only as an athlete but also as a person.”

Further glory followed for Hagino as he won the 200m individual medley in a Games record and took golds in the 400m medley and 4x200m freestyle relay. There was a silver in the men’s 400m freestyle and bronze in both the 100m and 200m backstroke races.

But like other athletes at the top of their sport, success in one event is simply a springboard to the next challenge, the next tournament and the next set of medals.

“It has been a good experience for me, and I will make this into a stepping stone for me to continue on to the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games two years from now and also to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” he said.

“I’m confident that I will have improved my swimming ability by the Olympic Games.

“I’d like to obtain results that fit my level at the time of the competition, and time-wise I’d like to challenge the world records.”

Hagino thanked a long list of people for helping him on his path to stardom but was especially fulsome in his praise for coach Norimasa Hirai.

“I was able to win today’s award thanks to coach Norimasa Hirai.  There were times when training was hard, but coach helped me enjoy swimming at all times,” Hagino explained.

“I have my weak points and so do my team-mates, but he helped us all improve. I would like to develop not only as a swimmer but also as a person, under the instruction of coach Hirai.”

Hirai has some experience of such award ceremonies as his former charge Kosuke Kitajima won the same prize at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan. And he knows what it takes for an athlete to make the next step to Olympic gold.

“I’d first like to congratulate Hagino for the award. Twelve years ago, also in Korea, Kosuke Kitajima won the MVP award and he won the gold medal at the Olympic Games right afterward (2004 in Athens),” Hirai said. “I hope Hagino will also use this award as a stepping stone for winning the gold medal at the next Olympics.”

But Hagino, with modesty that appears genuine, is not about to be rushed onto the same stage as Kitajima, a swimmer with four Olympic golds and three world championship wins to his name.

“It’s an honour to win the same award as Mr Kitajima,” he said.

“I still have to work hard to become like him, and I’m grateful for everyone who selected me.

“I’d like to win gold medals at the Olympics, of course but I’d also like to become a respected athlete like Mr Kitajima.”