Yoshihiro KITAZAWA

Yoshihiro Kitazawa had a fairly unremarkable career, except for one race at the 1984 Winter Olympics. Out of nowhere, he won Japan's first ever Olympic speed skating medal, placing second in the 500 m. Earlier in the year, Kitazawa had qualified for the Japanese team by placing third in the National Sprint Championships, his best result in that competition. His only other international appearance that season was unremarkable, finishing in 22nd in the World Sprint Championships, and his only other notable result was a fourth place in the 500 m at the 1986 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo. Kitazawa retired in 1988.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.3 (1985); 1000 – 1:17.95 (1984); 1500 – 2:06.69 (1982).