2024 JAPANESE OLYMPIC TRIALS
- Sunday, March 17th – Sunday, March 24th
- Tokyo Aquatics Center
- LCM (50m)
- Japan’s Olympic Selection Criteria
- Entries
- SwimSwam Entries Post
- Preview #1 / Preview #2
- Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap| Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap| Day 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap|Day 4 Finals Recap
- Live Result
- Livestream
Day four of the 2024 Japanese Olympic Trials was void of any additional Paris 2024 qualifiers, although there were just 2 finals sprinkled in among a packed semi-final agenda.
One of the semi-finals was the men’s 200m breaststroke, which saw 3 of the nation’s 4 best-ever performers among the field.
After the dust settled, former world record holder Ippei Watanabe earned the top seed in a stellar 2:07.92 while 2022 World Championships silver medalist Yu Hanaguruma snagged the 2nd seed in 2:08.99.
Newcomer to the elite party, Yamato Fukasawa, captured the 3rd seed in 2:09.26.
Lurking as the 6th-seeded swimmer, however, is 15-year-old Shin Ohashi. Ohashi fired off a big-time personal best of 2:11.13 to not only make tomorrow night’s final but also establish a new Japanese Junior High School Record.
Top 8:
- Ippei Watanabe, 2:07.92
- Yu Hanaguruma, 2:08.99
- Yamato Fukasawa, 2:09.26
- Shoma Sato, 2:09.89
- Hiroshima Shirai, 2:10.55
- Shin Ohashi, 2:11.13 *New Junior High School Record
- Ippei Miyamoto, 2:11.50
- Shun Kamata, 2:11.56
Splitting 1:03.35/1:07.78, Ohashi overtook the previous junior high record of 2:11.95 owned by Akihiro Yamaguchi from the 2009 JOC Summer Cup. Yamaguchi eventually went on to set the 200m breast world record at 2:07.01 in 2012.
Ohashi’s personal best entering these Trials rested at the 2:13.93 he clocked en route to winning the boys’ 12-14 200m breaststroke at last month’s Asian Age Group Championships. That means the teen hacked off over 2 and a half seconds with tonight’s performance.
For perspective, Ohashi’s 2:11.13 would rank him as the #2 fastest American 15-16-year-old in history. Josh Matheny owns the U.S. NAG at the 2:09.40 registered in 2019.
Ohashi’s shining star is par for the course for Japanese men in the 200m breast event. The depth is staggering, with 3 of the top 10 quickest men in history worldwide stemming from Japan.
That is absurd for a 15 year old
Related to Yui Ohashi?
Front half is only 0.16 off the Australian 100 BR age record.