Shigeo Arai(1916-1944)

Champion freestyle swimmer Sheigo Arai was born on August 8, 1916 in Shizuoka, Japan. Arai set a world record and won a gold medal in the men's 4 x 200 meters freestyle relay at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Moreover, Sheigo also won a bronze medal in the men's individual 100 freestyle at that same Olympic event. Although Arai never again participated in an international competition, he nonetheless went on to win three Japanese national titles in the 100 meter and four in the 200 meter between 1937 and 1940. Alas, Sheigo was killed in action on July 19, 1944 fighting in Burma while serving in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He was only twenty-seven years old.