2024 Konami Open Day One: Takeshi Kawamoto Puts Up 51.32 100 Fly

2024 KONAMI OPEN

• Saturday, February 17th & Sunday, February 18th
• International Swimming Center, Chiba Prefecture
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview
• Results

The 2024 Konami Open began today from Japan with the competition representing a final tune-up opportunity ahead of next month’s Olympic Trials for the nation.

We reported how Yamato Fukasawa unleashed a big-time personal best of 2:07.07 to take the men’s 200m breaststroke. That time would have won gold at the World Championships taking place in Doha, beating winner Dong Zhihao of China who clocked 2:07.94.

Fukasawa’s result marked one of several meet records that bit the dust today, giving us a glimpse into the form these athletes are in as they strive for Paris.

33-year-old Satomi Suzuki got it done for gold in the women’s 50m breast, posting a winning time of 30.50. That sliced .30 off of the former meet standard of 30.80, although it was still a ways off the national record of 30.10 she clocked in October of last year.

The women’s 100m butterfly competition record also fell on night one. Mizuki Hirai registered 57.51 to beat the 57.55 meet mark while runner-up Shiho Matsumoto also dipped beneath it in 57.54.

Hiroko Makino landed on the podium as well, hitting 57.90 for bronze.

Hirai’s effort is a personal best, overtaking the 57.79 she produced just last month at the Kosuke Kitajima Cup.

The trio all check in among the top 10 Japanese performers of all time, although the nation has just one athlete, Rikako Ikee, who has ever been under the 57-second barrier.

Top 10 Japanese Women LCM 100 Butterfly Performers

1. Rikako Ikee – 56.08, 2018
2. Ai Soma – 57.42, 2023
3. Suzuka Hasegawa – 57.49, 2020
4. Mizuki Hirai – 57.51, 2024
5. Shiho Matsumoto – 57.54, 2024
6. Natsuki Hiroshita – 57.69, 2023
7. Hiroko Makino – 57.73, 2023
8. Yuka Katoro – 57.77, 2012
9. Yui Ohashi – 57.83, 2019
10. Chiharu Itsuka – 57.88, 2023

Takeshi Kawamoto also bagged a new meet record en route to winning the men’s edition of the 100m fly. He turned in a time of 51.32 to surpass the 51.62 on the books.

His result is a new season-best and now ranks the Japanese speedster 8th in the world. For additional perspective, Kawamoto would have earned the bronze had he produced the swim in Doha.

The 28-year-old remains Japan’s #3 performer of all-time, owning a lifetime best of 51.00 from 2021.

Olympic medalist Ryosuke Irie posted a time of 53.84 to take the men’s 100m back event by just under a second this evening. He improved upon the 54.25 turned in at the Kosuke Kitajima Cup to check in among the top 25 performers worldwide this season.

After the race, Irie told Asian media that he was happy to get back into the 53-zone again, especially after training at altitude. The 34-year-old veteran will be aiming to make his 5th Olympic team.