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Japanese Double Olympic Champion Yui Ohashi Featured On Cover Of Vogue Japan

Double Olympic medalist Yui Ohashi recently made her Vogue Japan debut in the magazine’s June issue. Vogue is a high-profile fashion and lifestyle magazine, which publishes monthly issues in 26 countries worldwide. The magazine generally features fashion models but often highlights other notable figures such as actors, actresses, singers, politicians, and athletes.

Another notable IM swimmer who has covered Vogue is American Olympic champ Ryan Lochte who was featured in 2012 alongside fellow Olympic gold medalists Serena Williams (tennis) and Hope Solo (soccer). According to Cut, Lochte was the 4th man in history to be on the cover of American Vogue, following Richard Gere (1992), George Clooney (2000), and Lebron James (2008).

Ohashi certainly fits the bill as a prominent figure in Japan, having recently won two Olympic gold medals at the nation’s home Olympics. Ohashi raced her way to the top of the podium in both the 200 and 400 IMs, delivering a 2:08.52 and 4:32.08, respectively.

Ohashi was one of Japan’s two swimming medalists at Tokyo 2020 along with Tomoru Honda who took silver in the 200 butterfly (1:53.73). She contributed two medals to Japan’s 58-medal total, 27 of which were gold. Japan finished 3rd overall on the medal table at the Games to the USA (113 total medals) and China (88).

By winning those two medals, Ohashi became the 6th-straight woman to win those two events at a single Olympic Games. She follows 1996 double champion Michelle Smith, Yana Klochkova (2000, 2004), Stephanie Rice (2008), Ye Shiwen (2012), and Katinka Hosszu (2016).

In the wake of her Olympic success, Ohashi became the first-ever Japanese female swimmer to turn professional and just the fifth-ever professional Japanese swimmer in history. The impact of turning pro as a Japanese swimmer is that Ohashi is now responsible primarily for her expenses related to training and competing. The upside, however, is that she will have the opportunity to make money via commercial ventures.

As one of her first commercial ventures, Ohashi became a member of Team Seiko in April 2022.

Ohashi has a significant following on social media with nearly 50,000 followers on Twitter and 77,000 followers on Instagram.

In addition to her Olympic medals, Ohashi has swum at a high level for several years and has landed on the podium at many international meets. She took silver in the 200 IM at the 2017 World Championships, bronze in the 400 IM at the 2019 Worlds, gold in the 200 and 400 IM at Pan Pacs in 2018, and another set of double IM golds in 2017 at the FISU Summer Universiade.

Ohashi is set to defend her Olympic titles later this year at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest. She’s automatically qualified to race her signature events this summer for Japan, courtesy of her victories last summer. Ohashi recently raced to victory in the 200 IM at the 2022 Japan Swim with a 2:10.70 and placed third at that meet in the 400 IM with a 4:41.96.

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CanSwim13
2 years ago

Can we see a picture of you with your two gold medals ?

Swammer
2 years ago

What do you care what her teeth look like? Focus on yourself. Ohashi is a great competitor and athlete.

Chris
2 years ago

she’s pretty! give her a break.

Chris
2 years ago

There is a new sheriff in town by the name of Alex Walsh. Well not new, but you know what I mean.

Mr Piano
Reply to  Chris
2 years ago

She beat Walsh in Tokyo

RMS
Reply to  Mr Piano
2 years ago

Last year, old news. This is Walsh’s 200 to lose now.

Swimmerfromjapananduk
Reply to  Chris
2 years ago

Don’t remember the US anthem being played for the ceremony for the Women’s 200 IM though

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  Chris
2 years ago

Don’t forget about Kaylee McKeown. In the recent lengthy YouTube interview with Brett Hawke she described the 200 individual medley as her favorite event and says she is working toward something like Emma McKeon…winning 7 medals in one Olympics. Kaylee said she watched the 200 medley final in Tokyo with a feeling that she could have been there. She’s racing both individual medleys at Australian trials. Very good interview overall. Lots of discussion of backstroke technique. Kaylee said butterfly is by far her weakest stroke right now.

aquajosh
Reply to  Chris
2 years ago

At a home Olympic Games starving for winners in the pool, and with all eyes on her, she delivered. Twice.

Even if Alex wins in Paris, she will never swim under the same pressure Yui did in Tokyo.

Swimmerfromjapananduk
Reply to  aquajosh
2 years ago

Especially since our mens team weren’t performing as well in relation to their expectations, that placed more pressure on her. She pulled through twice. Legend

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  Swimmerfromjapananduk
2 years ago

She’s also not standing head and shoulders above everyone else in talent like a Ledecky or Peaty. She won those by executing a perfect race under enormous pressure. They were fantastic swims.

Mr Piano
Reply to  aquajosh
2 years ago

Unless she does it in 2028 haha

Kat
Reply to  Chris
2 years ago

So goofy. So silly

Kat
2 years ago

Queen

new york’s battle leader
2 years ago

slayed

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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