Yoshinobu Oyakawa (born August 9, 1933) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in the 100-meter backstroke. Oyakawa is considered to be the last of the great "straight-arm-pull" backstrokers and still holds the world record in this technique.

Biography

Oyakawa was born in Kona, Hawaii to the Rev. and Mrs. Edward Oyakawa and raised in Papaikou. He has an older sister, Dorothy, and an older brother, Ensie Michio.

Career

College

Oyakawa attended Ohio State University, where he won six Big Ten, seven NCAA, and nine NAAU championships.

Olympics

Oyakawa represented the United States at the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...

in Helsinki, Finland, where he won the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke event.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes
Yoshi Oyakawa
Retrieved October 4, 2012. He returned to Olympic competition at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, where he was elected co-captain along with

Ford Konno Ford Hiroshi Konno (born January 1, 1933) is a Japanese–American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events. Konno was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He attended McKinley High School in Ho ...

. He finished 8th in the 100-meter backstroke competition.

Coaching

Oyakawa became a teacher and coached swimming at Oak Hills High School from 1960 to 1985. He led Oak Hills to 23 conference championships and was named League Coach of the Year 23 times and Southwest Ohio Swimming Coach of the Year 12 times.

Honors

* Yoshinobu Oyakawa Day proclaimed by Big Island County Chairman

James Kealoha James Kimo Kealoha (April 29, 1908 – August 24, 1983) was an American politician who served as the first lieutenant governor of Hawaii in the administration of Governor of Hawaii William F. Quinn. Prior to his election as Lieutenant Govern ...

on September 12, 1952 *

International Swimming Hall of Fame The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the s ...

, 1973 * Ohio High School Coach of the Year, 1972 * The Ohio State University Athletics Hall of Fame, 1978 * Hawaiʻi Sports Hall of Fame, 1998 * Oak Hills Athletic Hall of Fame, 2008

References

External links

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1933 births Living people American male backstroke swimmers American military personnel of Japanese descent Hawaii people of Japanese descent Hawaii people of Okinawan descent American sportspeople of Japanese descent World record setters in swimming Ohio State Buckeyes men's swimmers Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers from Cincinnati Swimmers from Hawaii Swimmers at the 1952 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1956 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1952 Summer Olympics American swimming coaches American educators of Japanese descent 20th-century American people {{US-swimming-bio-stub