The reward for overcoming myself, who tends to get nervous on the big stage, was the ticket for the second consecutive Olympic Games.

In the Japan Championships in Athletics, the women's 200m butterfly final, Suzuka Hasegawa will show a courageous race backed by practice.



When I bowed a little and went up to the start of the final, I decided that "whether I cry or laugh, the last one. I have no choice but to go."



Hasegawa, who kicked out the starting platform and floated on the surface of the water, escaped at once.

The turnaround in the first half has a faster pace than the Japanese record, and is one body behind the second-placed player.



After that, I continued to swim aggressively and kept the lead, and continued to rotate my arms as I practiced, keeping in mind that I would not break the swim, saying "I will swim well to the end" for the last 50 meters.



Although it stalled a little, it finished in 1st place as it was.

Looking back at the electric bulletin board, Hasegawa looked up at the sky with relief when he confirmed that he had broken the standard dispatch record.



Then, before expressing joy, I swam in the next lane and headed for Hiroko Makino.

Although he finished in 2nd place, he praised his rival of the same grade who did not reach the representative offer, and his good fight.



Hasegawa smiled when he went up to the poolside and gave a bow, and then found Shigeru, his father and coach, in front of his eyes.

Shigeru was originally a junior coach at a swimming club, but since three years ago he has also been in charge of coaching Hasegawa.



When I asked Shigeru about Hasegawa's personality, he said, "I'm a kind child," and after looking into the face of his father, who is proud of his proud daughter, he said, "It's a very important part for a human being, but it leads to a bearishness as a player. It can be anxious, it can be a drawback, "he answered as a leader.



Hasegawa himself has a good understanding of his own personality.

Hasegawa, who says, "I'm basically nervous in any small game," can't help but be nervous in the final stage of the one-shot national team selection.



Even so, it was the daily accumulation of working with my father on a three-legged race that produced the best results.



Especially effective was the rigorous practice menu that Shigeru thought about overcoming the challenges.

It takes place at the end of the practice.

When you get tired, first swim 1500 meters in the crawl, which you are not good at.

On top of that, you can swim eight 100-meter butterflies just by scratching your arm.



Shigeru, who made the menu, said, "I don't hate practicing, so I can't break my heart when I'm another player. I think I can do that." I did.



Hasegawa also said, "It's hard to drive in and mentally and physically," he said. "Because I believe in my father, I was able to accept the rigorous practice without any repulsion." I have cultivated the endurance of my shoulders that I can keep turning.



Because of the support of this practice, Hasegawa was able to swim aggressively from the beginning without fear of stalling in the final race of the selection.

Looking back on the final swim, Hasegawa said with a smile, "I was able to swim to the end without getting tired. I think I was able to achieve the results of the special training."



"I want to say thank you to my father, and I want to continue working together," he said.

He expressed his confidence, saying, "I'm proud of myself who endured today's tension and want to race myself at the Olympics."



In order to have my own race that is unwavering on any big stage, I will start practicing with my father on a three-legged race again.