Japan’s Kazushi Imafuku Shatters 1500 Free Meet Record, Becomes #6 All-Time in 17-18 Age Group

2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships

• August 21-24, 2024
• Canberra, Australia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• All Days Prelim Heat Sheet
• Prelims Recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4
• Finals Recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

BOYS 1500 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINALS

• World Junior Record: 14:41.22 – Kuzey Tuncelli, TUR (2024)
• Meet Record: 15:05.29 – Bobby Finke, USA (2016)
• All Comers Record: 14:39.59 – Mack Horton, AUS (2016)

RESULTS:

1. Kazushi Imafuku (Japan) – 14:59.97 (Meet Record)
2. Luke Ellis (USA) – 15:00.24
3. Kaito Tsujimori (Japan) – 15:15.04
4. Luka Mijatovic (USA) – 15:15.95
5. Won June (South Korea) – 15:40.27
6. Aiden Kirk (Canada) – 15:47.56
7. Lucas Fackerell (Australia) – 15:48.11
8. Ignacio Stambuk (Argentina) – 15:49.43

Japan’s Kazushi Imafuku won the boys 1500 free in spectacular fashion, posting a mindblowing time of 14:59.97 to absolutely shatter the Junior Pan Pacs meet record.

In his first time ever breaking 15 minutes, the 17-year-old took over five seconds off of Bobby Finke’s previous record of 15:05.29, which he had set back in 2016.

His stunning performance makes him the 6th-fastest performer of all-time in the 17-18 age group, and he is only the 6th swimmer ever in the age group to break 15 minutes, joining the likes of Bobby Finke, Sam Short and Larsen Jensen in the elite group.

Imafuku’s time also makes him the 2nd-fastest 17-year-old of all time in the 1500, sitting just behind American Luke Whitlock.

Taking his race out in a fast split of 56.87 on the opening 100, Imafuku split sub-1:00 on the first three 100s before settling into a comfortable rhythm in the 1:00 range for the next 1000 meters. He brought it home on the final 100 in a 57.27 to secure the victory and the record.

Imafuku led the field for much of the race until the last 100 meters, when it became a tight battle with American Luke Ellis to see who could get their hand on the wall first. Imafuku just managed to outtouch him at the end, but Ellis was still far below the previous meet record as he took second in a time of 15:00.24.