2021 JAPAN SWIM (OLYMPIC TRIALS)
- Saturday, April 3rd – Saturday, April 10th
- Tokyo Olympic Aquatics Centre
- LCM (50m)
- Japan’s Sole Olympic-Qualifying Opportunity
- JASF Olympic Selection Policy
- Entries
- SwimSwam Preview
- Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap/Day 3 Recap/Day 4 Recap/Day 5 Recap
- Live Results
- Live Stream (Prelims Only)
Swim enthusiasts within the nation of Japan and beyond took pause tonight with the thought that anything can happen at any time in any race. Such was the case with 24-year-old Ippei Watanabe while competing in the men’s 200m breaststroke at the Japan Swim, the sole Olympic qualifying competition for the nation’s swimmers.
As a former world record holder and the bronze medalist in this 200m breast event from the 2019 FINA World Championships, expectations were high that Watanabe might pull out something special during tonight’s final on his home soil. The man is already ranked as the #3 swimmer in the world this season, having clocked a massive 2:07.08 from last December, already a mark less than half a second off his lifetime best and previous WR of 2:06.67 from 2017.
After 2016 Olympic finalist Yasuhiro Koseki dropped out of the 200m breast following a non-podium finish in the 100m breast earlier at these Trials, the discipline’s field was already narrowed down by one competitor with everyone’s eyes on Watanabe and 19-year-old young gun Shoma Sato.
Sato already claimed the #1 time in the world this season with a 2:06.74, ranking as the 2nd fastest Japanese racer ever behind Watanabe. He has been on the rise big-time, dropping from the 2:09’s to the 2:07’s to his 2:06 in a matter of a year.
Sato carried that momentum into tonight’s race, crushing a new national and Asian record of 2:06.40. Instead of Watanabe as the runner-up swimmer, however, it was 24-year-old Ryuya Mura who got his hand on the wall next in a huge personal best of 2:07.58. Mura’s unexpected upset swim left Watanabe in the 3rd place position, just as he was in the 100m breast, in a pedestrian (by his standards) time of 2:08.30.
Post-race, through tears, Watanabe had trouble putting into words what went wrong in the race that he had every chance of winning to earn the right to represent his nation this summer.
“I’ve done everything I can. Yesterday’s semi-finals were calm; but I can’t say anything about today’s swim. I’ve been working towards this for months…it should have been the best time of my life.”
He continued, “I gave it my all and this is the best I could do, so to get third with this time, it just shows that I wasn’t mentally ready,”
As a chilling reminder, Watanabe said that, although it’s fun to swim, ‘it can be a very cruel sport.’ (Yahoo Japan)
This should be mandatory reading for every young swimmer and swim parent
I fully agree. Even the best, most
Invincible seeming super athletes have these massive lows in their careers and it’s easy to forget that.
Gotta feel for him; watching him during and after the race, he was nothing but a class act, sitting in a chair to wait to congratulate the qualifiers after their post victory interviews. One of the best in the world, I hop he stays strong mentally and comes back at world champs down the line with a bang.
Someone get him in touch with Pablo Morales, he’ll give him a lesson on perseverance
I wish they would do too 3, doesn’t track do that?
Top*
They used to do three. USA had had a bunch of 1,2,3 finishes. I think 76 was the last year?
1980 was the last year. USSR and East Germany had several sweeps that year as well. (1976 there was also a sweep for GDR women I think.)
Yes, except for “The Last Gold” – 4×100 free relay for women, Shirley Babashoff & crew.
I’ve wished this for years, to see the ‘best’ swimmers. I understand the original change from the 70s sweeps, but those would not happen regularly today with the depth of swimming talent world wide. If a 3rd swimmer per country can hit a stiff standard like top 8 then they are a medal threat and should go, ie: Watanabe, Emma McKeon 52.8 100 free in 2016, etc etc.
Exactly
Or David Plumber, Grevers, and Thoman who would have swept in 2012 in the 100 back.
– me everytime I enter a pool
He had his time, hopefully with no regrets. Move onward into your new iife….You are a CHAMPION always.
I don’t think he’s gonna retire is he
Does anyone have a video of the interview
Olympic Trails is the meet of tears. Everybody’s crying. You’re crying when you make it, you’re crying when you miss it.
I feel this so hard. Wishing him the best.