For more than a decade, Kosuke Kitajima competed at the highest levels of the swimming world.

Now that he¡¯s jumped in the pool for the last time, the battles he had against the world¡¯s other top swimmers is something the Japanese superstar says he will genuinely miss.

The 33-year-old breaststroke swimmer, one of the greatest Japan has ever produced, officially announced his retirement during a news conference on Sunday.