Saori Haruguchi (春口 沙緒里, Haruguchi Saori, born January 20, 1987) is a Japanese swimmer, who specialized in butterfly and individual medley events.[1][2] She represented her nation Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics, placing herself among the top 30 swimmers in the 400 m individual medley. On that same year, Haruguchi became the first ever swimming champion in the university's history, when she posted a meet record of 1:52.39 to take the 200 m butterfly title at the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships in Columbus, Ohio.[3][4] Haruguchi is a member of the swimming team for Oregon State Beavers, and a graduate of human development and family science at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Saori Haruguchi |
| National team |  Japan |
| Born | 20 January 1987 Ōnojō, Fukuoka, Japan |
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Weight | 56 kg (123 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Butterfly, medley |
| Club | Onojo SC[1] |
| College team | Oregon State University (U.S.)[1] |
| Coach | Yoshihiro Hanamura[1] |
Haruguchi competed only in the women's 400 m individual medley at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Leading up to the Games, she cleared a FINA A-standard entry time of 4:38.94 to seize an astonishing victory over her rival Maiko Fujino and earn her most deserving selection on the Japanese team at the Olympic trials in Tokyo.[5][6] Swimming against some notable swimmers in heat four, including host nation China's Li Xuanxu, top medal contender Stephanie Rice of Australia, and three-time Olympic medalist Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, Haruguchi commanded an early lead on the butterfly leg, before she faded tremendously at the final turn to endure herself in seventh over Canada's Alexa Komarnycky by a 1.66-second advantage. Haruguchi's prelims time of 4:45.22 was not enough to advance her to the top 8 final, finishing twenty-seventh overall from a roster of thirty-eight entrants.[7]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Saori Haruguchi". Beijing 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Saori Haruguchi". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "OSU Swimmer Haruguchi Makes History at NCAA Championships". Oregon State University. 23 March 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "NCAA Division I Women's Champs: Oregon State's Saori Haruguchi Sets NCAA Meet Record in 200 Fly For OSU's First National Title". Swimming World Magazine. 22 March 2008. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "Japanese Olympic Trials: Add Hanae Itoh to Sub-Minute 100 Back Club". Swimming World Magazine. 19 April 2008. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Matsuda books trip for Beijing". The Japan Times. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
- ^ "Women's 400m Individual Medley Heat 4". Beijing 2008. NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
External links edit
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