Kosuke Kitajima prepares for this summer's Beijing Olympics as the reigning Olympic champion in the men's 100- and 200-meter breaststroke races. But instead of considering himself the king of the hill, he will stand on the starting block with the mind-set of a challenger.
One day after he was officially selected to the Japan National Team to compete in his specialty races, which he won at the National Swimming Championships, as well as the 4×100 medley relay, the 25-year-old Tokyo native spoke at length about his thoughts on the Olympics and his upcoming training at the National Training Center on Tuesday.
Q: Since this will be your third Olympics, how are you going to enter this tournament, physically and mentally?