At State Swimming Champs, a swimmer has gone Missing!
By jennybianca
@jennybianca (12912)
Australia
January 21, 2010 10:40pm CST
We have five days of the swimming State Championships. My daughter was in it today. Our State Champs are a very big event, and attract clubs from all over Australia, and from JAPAN. Some future Olympic swimmers compete at our State Champs.
Something terrible occured yesterday, the first day of the champs.
A 16 year old male member of the Japanese team went missing. It is now over 30 hours since he disappeared, and he hasn't been seen.
Apparently he had an argument with his coach, and decided to do a "runner". The Police were called and searched the area surrounding the swimming centre. No sign.
This 16 year can not speak English and had very little money on him. Adelaide is a city of over 1 MIL people, and not all areas are safe. He wouldn't be able to use public transport with little money. It is very unsafe to hitch a ride. We have huge parklands where unsavoury people hide around the trees at night.
At the beginning of the State Champs today, a message was sent out to all swimmers to contact admin if they saw or spoke to this teenager yesterday.
The Japanese team did not turn up at the State Champs today. This is terrible for the swimmers, as they must pay a fortune to fly to Australia, and get accomodation. Plus, they would be wanting to get official times.
The Coach of this swimmer must be in a terrible state.
I cant imaginbe where this Japanese boy is, or how is coping or feeling?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@srganesh (6339)
• India
22 Jan 10
That is really mind blowing!How can a boy disappear like that in a foreign country with little money?Remembering what you said about the argument with the coach,I think that boy must be hiding somewhere near the place and wants to play games with that coach who is responsible for his safety.I don't think he is actually lost in the crowd.
2 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
22 Jan 10
One would think he would hide nearby, but the police did search the imediate area.
It is very worrying, especially asociated with such a big event.
@srganesh (6339)
• India
22 Jan 10
Then,is it possible for him to take a wrong decision to the extreme of ending his life?I read the third response about the japanese nature.That really worries me.In another view,would it be an accident he had met with within the pool?My god...!I am worried a lot.Please update the progress of the search.
1 person likes this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
22 Jan 10
I so don't like this kind of news. It's just heart breaking. Let's pray for his safe return. We also have a 17 year old girl missing from our local high school and 2 kids on the run for killing another teen. I can't imagine what the families are going through.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
22 Jan 10
It is shocking when any kid or teenager goes missing. In this case, the 16 year old boy couldnt speak english, and he's in a big city. Do thery know why the 17 year old girl from your local high school went missing?
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
23 Jan 10
Thsat would appear very suspicious to me.
Thery found the Japanese swimmer. He was wandering down the city mall. Dont know how he got there, but he is okay.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
23 Jan 10
No, police don't have a clue yet. She was dropped off at school around 6:00am (which sounds pretty suspicious to me already), she called her mom on her cell to let her know she had arrived at school. Police later found her clothes and cell phone. It's raining so hard here and it's really, really cold. Sad. 
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
22 Jan 10
OMG, that is horrible. I do not know that it was fair for the other in their group to not compete after putting out all that money. I hope they find him, safe and well. Hopefully they have found him by now.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
22 Jan 10
I am wondering if the Japanese team are competing today? It must be terrible for them and the boys parents being in Japan. I guess they will be flying over.
Im trying to look up the news to see if he is being found.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Jan 10
oh my gosh Jenny thats dreadful. I hope he is safe someplace and people who are searching for him can find him. I can imagine how panicked I would be alone in a foreign city and not able to
speak English or in my case a different language.I hope maybe some of the swimmers may have seen him and can help the officials to find the poor boy. thats so sad. And yes the poor Coach, he is sort of responsible for all the boys welfare I suppose so he will be really sick at heart. I am going to send out prayers that the boy is found safe, alive and unharmed. thirty hours wow that does not sound promising does it, the poor parents and his swim mates, how dreadful. hope other mylotters join me in sending prayers too.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
22 Jan 10
I'm about to watch the news on TV. I imagine if he has not been found by now, it will be all over the media. I know the police were there yesterday, searching in the imediate area. I'm trying to imagine what upset the boy so much to run off, but I suspect it was something to do with the pressure of high level competitive swimming.
We were all quite shocked today to realise that he had not been found.
Thank you very much for yoir prayers and kind comments.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
23 Jan 10
That is terrible. His parents must be worried sick! I hope he is found in good shape and did just run off because of a disagreement. It would be scary enough to be on your own, but it would be worse to be in a foreign country.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
27 Jan 10
They found him 30 hours later in the city mall. Dont know how he got there.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
27 Jan 10
I hope when they found him he was okay. I guess that is the place most teenagers go when they don't want to be found. I'll bet his parents and fellow team members were relieved.
@DenverLC (1143)
• Philippines
22 Jan 10
I hope The boy is safe until now. That's japanese nature, they rather run and die as long as they know they are right, rather than be put to shame in public without their fault or mistake. The coach will be best responsible for the lost of a young potential world swimming icon.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
22 Jan 10
It made me wonder if there was too much stress put on the swimmer.
