MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan (Aug. 28, 2019) -- Olympic gold medalist and swimmer Anthony Ervin spoke to Japanese and American youth and gave them a swim lesson at MCAS Iwakuni, Aug. 6, 2019.
The children who participated in the event were from local Japanese swim teams and the Tsunami Swim Team from base. The Tsunami’s compete with the local teams twice a year; once out in town and once on base.
The Iwakuni City Office - Sports and Culture Promotion, the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka and Marine Corps Community Services Iwakuni all worked together to make the event happen. Ervin is travelling throughout Japan on a tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.
Hiroshi Fujimoto, the Iwakuni City Office – Sports and Culture Promotion director said that the children and his office looked forward to the event because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a gold medalist and learn from him directly.
Throughout the event Ervin told the children his story starting from when he was a child and first began swimming. Ervin has something in common with many of the children he spoke to: he started swimming at a young age and his father is a Marine. He told them about his swimming routines, how he made it to the Olympics and the ups and downs of his personal life and career. Ervin held a question and answer session for the children after his speech.
“It’s easy for me to talk to young swimmers because, to an enormous degree, they know the same language or they’re beginning to learn the language of swimming and sports a little bit more broadly,” said Ervin. “I don’t have to necessarily spend as much time trying to explain or define things if they weren’t swimmers or athletes at all.”
After the speech was over the group made their way to the indoor swimming pool at the Ironworks Gym where Ervin guided the children through different swimming techniques.
Even after a long career in swimming, Ervin still competes and teaches other swimmers around the world.
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