While 25-year-old Daiya Seto is dealing with his nation’s swimming lockdown in a practical manner by swimming in his own backyard, the Japanese world champion is also advocating for a return to the pool behind the scenes.
When he’s not churning out what he can in his temporary pool, Seto is meeting with Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, offering up his advice and counsel as to opening up the nation’s sporting facilities as quickly, but as safely as possible.
This week the fly and IM specialist joined table tennis player Hayashi Mizutani, fencer Yasushi Minobeno and volleyball player Erika Araki in speaking with Minister Hagita via video call. The group shared information on coronavirus preventative measures and reviewed how the National Training Center could be opened in the near future so athletes can begin training again for the Olympic Games.
According to Asian media, Seto voiced during the call, “I bought a small pool at home to swim and train my body, etc., based on the fact that the use of bases for strengthening athletes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo such as the National Training Center continues to be stopped. We would appreciate it if the facility could be used as soon as possible.”
Minister Hagita expressed the idea that “the situation in Tokyo is still uncertain, but I would like to consider sharing wisdom so that I can restart it little by little.”
One of their political leaders in Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is Daichi Suzuki ( gold medal backstrokes) and Seiki Hashimoto( was both Summer Olympic bicycling and Winter Olympic speed skating-bronze medal), who is serving as Minister of State for Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is smart to have these experienced athletes on their advising board.