Shigeo Arai

Shigeo Arai

Shigeo Arai (left) and Masanori Yusa at the 1936 Olympics
Personal information
Born	August 8, 1916 Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Died	July 19, 1944 (aged 27) Burma
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Medal record Representing  Japan Olympics 1936 Berlin 4×200 m freestyle relay 1936 Berlin 100 m freestyle

Shigeo Arai (新井 茂雄, Arai Shigeo, August 8, 1916 – July 19, 1944) was a Japanese freestyle swimmer who competed at the 1936 Olympics. He won a gold medal in 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, setting a world record. In the individual 100 m race he finished almost simultaneously with Masanori Yusa and Masaharu Taguchi and was awarded a bronze medal. Those Games were the only international competition for Arai, though he won three national titles in the 100 m and four in the 200 m freestyle between 1937 and 1940.

While serving in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, he was killed in action in Burma.