15-Yr-Old Mio Narita Of Japan Rips 4:36.71 400 IM WJR*

2022 JAPANESE SELECTION MEET

• Wednesday, March 2nd – Saturday, March 5th
• Tatsumi International Swimming Centre, Tokyo, Japan
• LCM (50m)
• Selection Meet for 2022 Budapest World Championships, 2022 Asian Games, World University Games
• Results

Full Day 2 Recap to follow.

In addition to the eye-catching swims produced by 27-year-old Reona Aoi here at these Japanese Trials, another swimmer on the women’s side is doing major damage.

While competing on day 2 of the Selection Meet in Tokyo, 15-year-old Mio Narita busted out the swim of her life in the 400m IM, stopping the clock in a big-time result of 4:36.71.

The first time she’s ever been under 4:40 in the event, Narita’s 4:36.71 outing here not only establishes a huge personal best for the teen but it also nearly knocked off the World Junior Record in the event.

The unofficial WJR* stands at the 4:35.94 Yu Yiting produced in January of last year in her native China. That record is still awaiting FINA ratification. The official record according to FINA still is represented by the 4:38.53 Alba Vazquez put up in 2019.

Below are the splits for the race, with teen Narita snagging the silver in her 4:36.71, while Ageha Tanigawa established a new Japanese High School National Record with her impressive 4:36.45 as the winner.

Tanigawa’s previous PB was marked by the 4:37.90 she hit at least year’s Trials. Here, reigning Olympic champion Yui Ohashi settled for bronze in 4:41.96, but already qualified to race this event in Budapest by way of her Olympic gold.

But, as we’ve reported, Narita has already been wreaking havoc in the women’s 400m IM. Just last month Narita logged a mark of 4:40.86 to establish a new National Junior High School Record. That sliced .02 off of the 4:40.88 Narita put up at the 2021 Japan Open last June.

As such, within a span of one year, Narita has figured out a way to drop over 4 seconds from her prime event.