2024 Japan Olympic Trials
The 2024 Japan Olympic Team Trials are almost halfway through, and on the fourth day of qualifying, the men's 200 butterfly, men's 100 freestyle, women's 1500 freestyle, women's 100 freestyle, and men's 200 breaststroke were held.
All of the above events except the women's 1500 free will have semi-finals later today. The women's 100m back and men's 800m free finals will also be held tonight, with the women's 1500m free final scheduled for Thursday night.
26 years old Takumi Terada (1:55.92) won the final heat of the men's 200 fly with the only time under 1:56. Terada had a best time of 1 minute 54.81 seconds in this event and broke his record at the 2023 Japan Championships held in early April 2023.
Tomoru HondaThe newly crowned world champion at this event last month finished second in the heat with a time of 1:56.37. Earlier this week, Honda missed out on the 400 IM final by qualifying 10th despite setting a best time of under 4 minutes 10 seconds.
Honda recorded a speed of 1 minute 52.70 seconds over this distance, winning the 2024 world title with a time of 1 minute 53.88 seconds.His lifetime best is just outside. Daiya SetoThe Japanese record is 1:52.53. Honda swam with a sprained ankle at the world championships in February and ultimately withdrew from the event altogether after winning the gold medal in the 200 fly.
Terada and Honda will advance to the semi-finals as the top two seeds, and there is no doubt that Japan's Olympic qualification time of 1:55.27 will be on their minds once the final is over. Seto, the Japanese record holder, comfortably placed fifth overall with a time of 1 minute 57.62 seconds. Although Seto placed second in Monday's 400 IM final, he fell 0.19 seconds short of Japan's Olympic qualification standard and is not officially on the Olympic team yet.
Fifteen athletes broke the 50-second barrier in the men's 100 free. Reo Sakata He took the lead with a new best time of 49.14 seconds. The 28-year-old's previous best time was set almost 10 years ago when he reached the 49.28 second barrier at the Japan University Championships.
Katsuhiro Matsumoto set the second fastest time of the morning at 49.32 seconds and the fastest time of his career at 47.85 seconds. He had already placed first in the 200m free, achieving a qualifying time of 1:45.29 and booking his ticket to Paris.
Keep an eye out for Matsumoto, who will also compete in the 100 fly later this week. He has a sub-51 time of 50.96.Although it has nothing to do with this qualifying round, this race featuring Japanese record holders looks like it will be a really hot one. Naoki Mizunuma (50.81), Takeshi Kawamoto (51.00), and Shinnosuke Ishikawa (51.11) Between the Deep Fields.
A 30-year-old who has contributed to the Japanese national team for many years. Katsumi Nakamura (49.44), placed 5th and advanced to the semifinals. He was the previous Japanese record holder with a score of 47.87 at the 2018 Kosuke Kitajima Cup, but Matsumoto later lowered it to 47.85. What is noteworthy is that Japan's Olympic standard is 47.97 points.
The fastest times in the women's 1500 freestyle came twice in heat two. Yukimi Moriyama (16:16.39) Over 22 years old Airi Ebina (16:17.75) That's a little over 1 second difference. Abina's swim set a new personal best for Moriyama, who posted a time of 16:13.74 in 2019.
In the women's 100 free, Rikako Ikee He became the only representative to break the 55-second barrier. She scored 54.74 points for her morning effort, and her remaining career best was the 52.79 points she set at the 2018 Kosuke Kitajima Cup. Ikee posted a second-place qualifying time in the 100 fly, so she has already qualified to represent Japan in Paris.
Nagisa Ikemoto This morning, he was the closest pursuer to Ikee, touching in 55.00 seconds. Ikemoto recorded a time of 54.11 seconds in August last year, which still stands as his best time.
The men's 200 chest closed out the session and may be the most competitive event of the meet. This week, three of the four fastest-timers in Japanese history will be participating.
- Shoma Sato – 2:06.40, 2021
- Ippei Watanabe – 2:06.67, 2017
- Akihiro Yamaguchi – 2:07.01, 2012
- Yamato Fukasawa – July 7, 2024 2:00
This morning it was a former world record holder. Ippei Watanabe (2:10.40), setting the fastest time for the semi-finals and showing his presence.Japanese record holder Shoma Sato In the final heat, he finished fifth overall with a time of 2:11.77, behind Watanabe.
star of hope Yamato Fukasawa He clocked a time of 2:10.86, the second fastest performance of the session. He ran a time of 2:07.07 last month, setting the fourth-fastest time in national history.
Hanaguruma Yuu He placed 3rd overall with a time of 2:11.06. He has a career best time of 2:07.99, which he set at the 2022 World Championship Trials. Hanakura and Watanabe tied for second in the 100m chest earlier this week with a time of 59.47 seconds, falling short of the final qualifying time of 59.26 seconds.
