112119 SWB DIGITAL EDITION

6 x November 21 — December 4, 2019 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
Yuko Matsuzaki has always
loved to swim. As a young girl growing
up in Tokyo, Yuko remembers
her life consisting of “school, home
and swimming.” She began swimming
competitively at age 15 and
excelled at long-distance swimming.
At age 26, Yuko competed in Italy in
her first marathon swim competition.
Marathon swimming has taken
Yuko to competitions all over the
world. In 1992, she took a trip to
Orlando to visit Walt Disney World
Resort. While in Orlando, Yuko visited
the YMCA Aquatic Center on
International Drive, now known as
the Rosen YMCA Aquatic Center.
She immediately fell in love with
the facility and decided to make
Southwest Orlando her home. Yuko
continues to train at the center six
days a week.
Throughout her impressive
40-plus-year career, Yuko has accomplished
many incredible feats,
including, in 2011, becoming the first
Japanese swimmer inducted into the
International Marathon Swimming
Hall of Fame. Even with all that she
SPORTS SPOTLIGHT
A Lifelong Passion
Swimming Her Way to a World Record
has accomplished, Yuko is always
looking for a new challenge.
“I train every day, so I am always
ready for anything,” she said.
Last month, Yuko’s friend and fellow
decorated swimmer, Steven
Munatones, invited her to the
World Open Water Swimming
Association’s Ocean Fest in Redondo
Beach, California. Steven mentioned
that the company Endless Pools
would be there, as well as representatives
from Guinness World
Records. Yuko immediately became
excited, remembering how as a
child, she loved looking through the
Guinness Book of World Records.
“I was always so amazed by
the abilities and accomplishments
of those in the book,” she said. “I
dreamed but never thought I would
by Karen Nimetz
one day break a Guinness World
Record — until that phone call.”
Yuko shared with Steven her goal
of swimming in an endless pool for
24 hours straight. (The previous record
was 16 hours.)
“Steven was incredibly supportive
and promised to set everything up
for me, which he did,” she said.
Yuko, who does not own a car but
bikes everywhere, felt physically prepared
for the incredible challenge.
She had actually swum 24 hours
straight at the aquatic center 20
years ago. She even swam 33 hours
and 24 minutes straight during a 52-
mile swim in Lake Cane. However,
this would be her first time attempting
to accomplish such a goal under
the watchful eyes of Guinness World
Records officials.
Yuko decided to begin her challenge
Oct. 5 at 8 a.m. Guinness
rules allowed for Yuko to take a
five-minute break every hour. During
that brief time, she remained in the
water but would “stretch and eat a
little rice, a cookie and a piece of
chocolate.”
At around midnight, a large group
had formed around the pool, and a
Guinness representative announced
that Yuko had officially broken the
previous world record of swimming
in a counter-current pool. Everyone
cheered, but Yuko kept right on
swimming.
“I knew I could stop at that point
and still have beaten the record, but
my plan was to do 24 hours, so I
needed to stay focused,” she said.
Around 2 a.m., with almost all
spectators gone and having already
swum 18 hours straight, Yuko began
to struggle mentally. Shortly thereafter,
Yuko received an encouraging
visit from her good friend and fellow
swimmer, Shelley Taylor-Smith.
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