Miya Tachibana (立花 美哉, Tachibana Miya, born December 12, 1974) is a Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming from Ōtsu, Shiga.[1] Tachibana began practicing the sport during her fourth year in elementary school. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2011.[2]

Miya Tachibana
Personal information
Nationality Japan
Born (1974-12-12) 12 December 1974 (age 49)
Ōtsu, Japan
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesSynchronised swimming
ClubOsaka Sayama
Medal record
Women's synchronised swimming
Representing  Japan
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2000 Sydney Duet
Silver medal – second place 2000 Sydney Team Competition
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Duet
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Team Competition
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Atlanta Team Competition
World Aquatics Championships
Gold medal – first place 2001 Fukuoka Duet
Silver medal – second place 1994 Rome Duet
Silver medal – second place 1998 Perth Duet
Silver medal – second place 1998 Perth Team
Silver medal – second place 2003 Barcelona Duet
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Rome Team
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Perth Solo
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Fukuoka Solo
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Busan Duet
Updated on 5 May 2020

World Aquatics Championships

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Tachibana has won eight medals at World Aquatics Championships. Her duet gold medal, won with Miho Takeda at the 2001 Fukuoka Championships, was the first gold medal for a Japanese synchronised swimming team in the history of the tournament.[3]

Asian Games

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Tachibana won a gold medal in the duet event at the 2002 Busan Asian Games.

Olympics

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She received five Olympic medals at the 1996, the 2000 and the 2004 Summer Olympics.[4] The silver medal from the 2000 Olympics was in the duet with Miho Takeda, and they also received a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics.[5]

After competition

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Tachibana retired following the 2004 Athens Olympics. She moved on to a coaching role, working alongside Masayo Imura (known in Japan as “the mother of synchro”).[6]

During the summer of 2008, she was a synchronized swimming coach for the Santa Clara Aquamaids in Santa Clara, California.

After this, Tachibana coached at the Imura Synchro Club.[2]

Personal life

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In February, 2012, Tachibana announced that she would be marrying an office worker living in Osaka.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Sanspo.com profile Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (in Japanese)
  2. ^ a b c "シンクロ立花美哉さん 大阪府在住の会社員と結婚 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex スポーツ". スポニチ Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  3. ^ "【あの日】シンクロ立花・武田組が首位で決勝へ=7月18日". 西日本新聞me (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-10-19.
  4. ^ "Profile: "Miya Tachibana"". databaseOlympics.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  5. ^ "Miya Tachibana Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  6. ^ "世界水泳2009". www.tv-asahi.co.jp. Retrieved 2024-10-19.