Kosuke Kitajima, a double world record holder in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, has reversed initial plans and will compete in the short course World Cup next year, a report said Friday.
Citing his coach Norimasa Hirai, Kyodo News said Kitajima would participate in the Jan. 13-14 meet in Stockholm and the Jan. 17-18 meet in Berlin, taking place as part of the World Cup series featuring 25-meter races. Kitajima struck double gold in July at the World Championships in Barcelona, breaking world records in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke.
He is only the second Japanese swimmer to concurrently hold two world records, after Tsuyoshi Yamanaka in 1960, according to Kyodo. Kitajima, who has been swimming since he was 5 years old, was fourth in the 100 breaststroke at both the 2000 Olympics and 2001 worlds.