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15-Yr-Old Shin Ohashi Blasts 2:11.13 200 Breast Japanese Junior High School Record

2024 JAPANESE OLYMPIC TRIALS

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:

  1. Ippei Watanabe, 2:07.92
  2. Yu Hanaguruma, 2:08.99
  3. Yamato Fukasawa, 2:09.26
  4. Shoma Sato, 2:09.89
  5. Hiroshima Shirai, 2:10.55
  6. Shin Ohashi, 2:11.13 *New Junior High School Record
  7. Ippei Miyamoto, 2:11.50
  8. 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.

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Swimmingrules
8 months ago

That is absurd for a 15 year old

Khachaturian
8 months ago

Related to Yui Ohashi?

Troyy
8 months ago

Front half is only 0.16 off the Australian 100 BR age record.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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