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Yasu Hirai (Yasu) is one of Japan's leading open water swimmers, with numerous remarkable achievements in the 10km event.
He has been active on the international stage for over 10 years, competing as a member of the Japanese national team and making a name for himself in numerous competitions.
He started swimming at a young age, and in 2008, he won the 400m freestyle at the Japan High School Swimming Championships, gaining attention.
That same year, he participated in the FINA Youth World Aquatics Championships held in Monterrey, Mexico, as a member of the U-18 Japan national team, placing 6th in the 400m freestyle.
In 2009, he switched to open water swimming, and by 2010, he had joined the Japanese national team.
In 2011, he achieved success on the international stage, winning a bronze medal in the 10km event at the 26th Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China.
In August 2012, at the London Olympics, he became Japan's first Olympic open water swimmer, competing in the 10km event and finishing in 15th place.
Among his major achievements:
- 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – 6th place
- 2015 World Championships – 11th place
- 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics – 8th place (4.8 seconds behind the gold medalist)
- 2017 Asian Open Water Swimming Championships – Gold in the 5km event
During this period, he signed affiliation contracts with Asahi Net Co., Ltd. and SBI Holdings, Inc., continuing his career as a professional swimmer.
Yasu retired from competitive swimming in January 2020, but his passion for sports was reignited after moving to Sydney in 2023.
He began coaching at Sydney Uni Swimming and UNSW Swimming, working as a Learn to Swim Teacher and Bronze Junior Swimming Coach.
In 2024, he founded the Yasu High-Performance Swim Squad at Sydney Uni Sport, coaching:
- Ironman triathletes
- Business executives
- State junior champions
In 2023, he received a scholarship from the World Academy of Sport and is currently pursuing a PgCert in International Sports Management at the University of London.
He is studying accounting, sports entrepreneurship, governance, leadership, and more to further increase his influence in the sports industry.
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, he will be the opening speaker at the ISMUniversity of London C4C Awards Ceremony.
November 2024, Yasu will return to professional swimming with the goal of competing at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
He also aims to reach the podium at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Inspired by Lucy Charles-Barclay, who transitioned from a 10km open-water swimmer to an Ironman champion, Yasu has also begun training for Ironman triathlons.
Understanding the importance of mental health, Yasu will begin working as a motivational speaker under the name “Bondi Magic” in 2024.
Additionally, he:
- Works as an ambassador for the mental health foundation "Wave of Wellness"
- Co-founded the Vitamin Sea Project in Sydney with entrepreneur and Ironman triathlete Rich Coombs
- Promotes the benefits of endurance sports on mental and physical health
As a global citizen, Yasu believes in contributing to society through sports.
His goal is to:
- Compete at the highest level
- Inspire future athletes
- Grow as a coach and leader in the sports industry
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