Little did Emerick Kotaro Ishikawa know when he first began lifting weights to improve his swimming that he was also picking up a pastime that would carry him to the Olympics and inspire generations to try and follow in his footsteps.

Ishikawa, who died of cancer Sunday at age 86, was a prime figure in the heyday of weightlifting in Hawai'i in the 1940s and '50s, and coached for more than 30 years after retirement from a record-setting and Hall of Fame competitive career.

"He was always very positive, very encouraging to the younger ones," said Russell Ogata, a weight-lifter and teacher. "Something I'll always remember about him is how, from the depths of his heart, he wanted us to succeed."

Tommy Kono was among the many who were driven by Ishikawa's example and went on to find their own success.

As a young asthmatic, Kono first saw Ishikawa in a World War II internment camp. An inspired Kono went on to appear in three Olympiads.

Kono named a son after Ishikawa.

"He (Ishikawa) was an inspiration, especially during the war, to a lot of Japanese Americans who were going through hard times," Ogata said.

Ishikawa was a multi-sport performer, and swam for the legendary Soichi Sakamoto on his native Maui. That is what prompted him to take up weightlifting.

Eventually, Ishikawa came to focus on weightlifting, helping to ignite a boom in the sport locally and fuel a U.S. surge. It was not uncommon for competitions to draw a couple thousand spectators at the old Nu'uanu YMCA.

Ishikawa became a four-time national champion (from 1944 through 1947), helping York Barbell Co. and Hawai'i win team titles.

Along with fellow local lifters Harold Sakata, Richard Tomita and Richard Tom, Ishikawa represented the U.S. at the 1948 Olympics in London.

Ishikawa placed sixth in the lightweight division and cherished the experience.

In a 1996 interview, Ishikawa recalled, "The King and Queen opened the Games and we had goose pimples.

"The applause didn't stop for several hours. You go around (the track) until you line up on the field (and) that takes about four hours with speeches. We're standing erect the whole time. Many athletes fainted ... but it was the greatest feeling."

Ishikawa was named to the National Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

A retired graphic illustrator at Hickam Air Force base, Ishikawa was awarded a special recognition award by the Nuuanu YMCA for 33 years of service as a volunteer weightlifting instructor.

"He continued to exercise daily until about a year ago," Ogata said.

Services are Monday at Mililani Mortuary Mauka Chapel. Visitation is at 5:30 p.m. and services at 6:30 p.m.