TOKYO SPECIAL SWIMMING TOURNEY – HIGH SCHOOL
- Saturday, September 19th & Sunday, September 20th
- Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center
- LCM (50m)
- Results (in Japanese)
Following up on the senior Tokyo Special Swimming Tournament, which took place already here at Tatsumi International Swimming Center last month, the high school set took to the pool in pursuit of fast times.
For many, the two-day meet represented the first opportunity to throw down post-coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions, giving all a chance to shake off the competition cobwebs. One who capitalized on the chance to race was 16-year-old Konosuke Yanagimoto.
Representing Nichidai Buzan High School, Yanagimoto fired off a lifetime best of 1:47.85 to take the men’s 200m freestyle. Splitting 52.14/55.71, the teen produced the only time under the 1:50 barrier.
Entering this meet, Yanagimoto’s previous personal best rested at the 1:49.94 produced during his first year in high school last year. Also, at the 2019 Japan Swim, which served as the nation’s World Championships Trials, then-15-year-old Yanagimoto was just 1:53.26 in the 2free to place 41st.
Now as a sophomore, he managed to hack nearly 2 seconds off his previous PB, as well as crush his Japan Swim outing to hit that 1:47.85 quality performance.
Just for perspective, Yanagimoto’s effort here would rank the teenager #2 among the all-time top U.S. performers in the men’s 200m free event in the 15-16 age group, sitting only behind Luca Urlando’s 1:47.73. Additionally, Yanagimoto’s 1:47.85 time would have finished 8th in the 2019 World Junior Championships final.
sophomore in HS going 1:47 lol kids are crazy these days
If he’s a second year in high school as the article states, he’d actually be a junior here in the states. High school in Japan is 3 years and the equivalent of sophomore, junior, and senior year in the states.
Fantastic swim – Congratulations. Positive signs for the Japanese 4×2 in Tokyo, but also good signs for the mens 200fr internationally. We had two 16 year old boys go 1.47.2 at Euro Juniors last summer – The more kids we have putting up these quick times the more chance we have of moving the event on!
Great swim. Forgot how young Urlando is. Japan’s 800 free relay in 2021 with Seto, Matsumoto, Hagino, and this kid dropping more is definitely a medal contender and could make a run at gold in their home pool.
Do we know Seto can go the needed 1:45? I haven’t really seen swim the 200.
He went 1:46.65 at some random cup meet in Feb 2020, so I’m guessing he can go 1:45 mid, maybe better, in Tokyo.
SHEESH
Oh how I wish I could drop time in quarantine….
I added weight =[
wow – that’s exceptional!
BRUH