Who is Yasuji Miyazaki? All you need to know about the Japanese swimmer who quit the sport to pursue higher education
Yasuji Miyazaki turned heads at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. The Japanese teenager became the youngest swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100m freestyle while also breaking the then-Olympic record in the distance. He would go on to win another Olympic gold medal the next day in the 4×200m freestyle relay event.
However, following his return from the Olympic Games, Miyazaki didn't participate in any swimming competitions. Why? He was more interested in studying than swimming. The teenage sensation joined Keio University where he studied law.
Miyazaki was initially named in the Japanese team for the 1936 Olympics but he didn't compete. However, he returned to the sport following World War II, albeit in a different capacity.
Yasuji Miyazaki joined the Japanese Swimming Federation as an advisor. In 1981, he was inducted into the International Hall of Fame in swimming for his incredible accomplishments at the age of 15 at the 1932 Olympics.
The Japanese icon was awarded the Olympic Order in 1989. While Miyazaki breathed his last in the same year on December 30 at the age of 73, his Olympic achievements are yet to be surpassed by anyone.
Yasuji Miyazaki’s Olympic record
Yasuji Miyazaki first came to the limelight during the semifinals of the 100m freestyle event at the 1932 LA Olympics. He broke American swimmer Johnny Weissmuller's Olympic record with a time of 58.2s and then went on to win the finals to become the youngest Olympic champion (15 years and 311 days) in the event. He is still among the youngest swimmers to win the event.
Following this impressive feat, Miyazaki delivered another breathtaking performance in the 4x200m relay event. He was part of the Japanese relay team, consisting of Hisakichi Toyoda, Takashi Yokoyama, and Masanori Yusa, who would go on to win the gold in a world record time of 8:58.4 seconds.
It was a dream run for Yasuji Miyazaki and the Japanese swimming team at the 1932 LA Olympics, as they were able to end America’s dominance in the sport. Miyazaki is still the only swimmer under the age of 17 to win two gold medals.