Tetsuo Okamoto
Encyclopedia
Tetsuo Okamoto was a Brazil
ian swimmer. He was a bronze medalist at the 1952 Summer Olympics
in Helsinki
(1500m Freestyle), the first Brazilian swimmer to win a medal at the Olympics. At the inaugural Pan American Games
in 1951 he claimed two gold medals in the freestyle events.
Tetsuo Okamoto was a Brazilian born to parents of Japanese heritage, but he attended college in the United States, swimming for Texas A&M
from 1956-1958. At Texas A&M, Okamoto was a four-time All-American, twice in the 400 and 1.500m Freestyle, and won four Southwest Conference titles – 440 freestyle in 1956, and the 220, 440, and 1500 freestyles in 1957. Prior to his Olympic and college successes, Okamoto had won gold medals at the 1951 Pan-American Games in both the 400 and 1,500 freestyle, and had swum for Japan in the 4x200 freestyle relay team that placed second.
A long-distance specialist, Okamoto twice broke the South American record in the men's 1.500m at the Helsinki Games: first with his swim of 19 min. 05 sec. in the preliminary trials, then in the final with a time of 18 min. 51 sec., becoming the first South American to swim under 19 minutes and winning a bronze medal.
He died in his city of birth, Marília
, in which he always lived, on October 1, 2007, due to heart and respiratory failure, caused by a long-standing kidney
problems which forced him to have frequent hemodialysis
in the last years of his life.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian swimmer. He was a bronze medalist at the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
(1500m Freestyle), the first Brazilian swimmer to win a medal at the Olympics. At the inaugural Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
in 1951 he claimed two gold medals in the freestyle events.
Tetsuo Okamoto was a Brazilian born to parents of Japanese heritage, but he attended college in the United States, swimming for Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
from 1956-1958. At Texas A&M, Okamoto was a four-time All-American, twice in the 400 and 1.500m Freestyle, and won four Southwest Conference titles – 440 freestyle in 1956, and the 220, 440, and 1500 freestyles in 1957. Prior to his Olympic and college successes, Okamoto had won gold medals at the 1951 Pan-American Games in both the 400 and 1,500 freestyle, and had swum for Japan in the 4x200 freestyle relay team that placed second.
A long-distance specialist, Okamoto twice broke the South American record in the men's 1.500m at the Helsinki Games: first with his swim of 19 min. 05 sec. in the preliminary trials, then in the final with a time of 18 min. 51 sec., becoming the first South American to swim under 19 minutes and winning a bronze medal.
He died in his city of birth, Marília
Marília
Marília is a Brazilian city and municipality in the midwestern region of the state of São Paulo. Its distance from the state capital is by highway, by railway and in a straight line. It is located at latitude 22º 12'50 "south and longitude 49º 56'45" west, with an altitude of 675 meters...
, in which he always lived, on October 1, 2007, due to heart and respiratory failure, caused by a long-standing kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
problems which forced him to have frequent hemodialysis
Hemodialysis
In medicine, hemodialysis is a method for removing waste products such as creatinine and urea, as well as free water from the blood when the kidneys are in renal failure. Hemodialysis is one of three renal replacement therapies .Hemodialysis can be an outpatient or inpatient therapy...
in the last years of his life.