Shanteau's motivation is in the next lane

IRVINE, Calif. -- U.S. breaststroker Eric Shanteau has two national titles and a world championship on his swimming resume and swam on the 2008 Olympic team after discovering he had cancer.

Almost two years after being declared cancer-free, Shanteau said the only motivation he needs to swim, however, is in the form of a fellow swimmer: Kosuke Kitajima.

Japan's Kitajima, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, has taken the men's 100m and 200m breaststroke events to new lows during his career. And although the 27-year-old's world records have fallen to faster and younger swimmers in recent history, he's still a constant threat in his signature events.

Kitajima recorded the fastest heat time in the 200m breaststroke at the Pan-Pacific Swimming Championships Saturday morning with a time of 2 minutes, 9.23 seconds. He was under world-record pace at one point during the race before fading slightly in the final 50 meters. For now, Australian Christian Sprenger's record time of 2:07.31 is still safe.

Not far behind Kitajima in the heats was Shanteau, whose result of 2:10.10 was the second best in the morning prelims. The pair is sure to be the top two finishers in tonight's final; it's anyone's guess as to which order they finish in.

"That's how we've been all year," Shanteau said. "We've been having fun with it, so it's gonna be the same thing tonight just on a little bit bigger scene.

"That's my motivation, right there," Shanteau added as he pointed over at Kitajima.