The Japanese swimmers have been pretty quiet since the first part of the World Cup circuit, that is until Monday’s Northern Japan short course official city meet at the Tokyo Swimming Center.
There, Kosuke Hagino blew away the Asian Record in the men’s 400 SCM IM with a 3:56.48. That beat the 3:58.84 that Daiya Seto swam at the Berlin stop of the World Cup on August 10th. Both swimmers are just 19 years old, so this is probably not the end of this record’s descent.
Hagino is now the holder of all 5 Japanese and Asian Records in the IM disciplines (100, 200, and 400 in SCM; plus 200 and 400 in LCM). Prior to Seto’s swim in August, his old record came at the 2012 World Short Course Championships in 3:59.15.
Here’s the comparative splits between Seto’s record from August and Hagino’s new record:
| Fly | Back | Breast | Free | |||
| Seto ’13 | Old AR | 55.32 | 1:00.36 | 1:07.02 | 56.14 | 3:58.84 |
| Hagino ’14 | New AR | 54.15 | 59.07 | 1:07.46 | 55.80 | 3:56.48 |
As you can see, the two are very different swimmers. Seto is a much better breaststroker than Hagino, but Hagino has continued to improve on that third leg of his IM as he’s matured, and has almost evened the gap there. Now Seto will have to respond with a much better butterfly leg – both in terms of speed, and in terms of not killing his energy while doing it.
Seto’s swim, which is still the World Cup record, had been the fastest of the 2013-2014 winter short course season as well. Ryan Lochte’s World Record sits at 3:55.50.
Hagino also swam a 50.33 in the 100 fly, plus a 1:50.09 in the 200 back.
50.33 in 100 fly and 3:56.48 in 400 IM in one meet is super impressive.
Only Lochte and Phelps can do it also (Laszlo Cseh’s PBs in both events are slower).
And as Bobo repeatedly says: If only he edit his events.
Wow! Hagino is the real deal
Wow! Lochte is back!
And Agnel will be in Austin too! 🙂
Psych sheet of the Austin Grand Prix
http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/c2ea2698-279d-482f-be88-38ba6f1bb4a9/2014%20Austin%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Psych%20Sheet.pdf
Lochte is not back 😉
According to TeamElite staff, he’s entered but not swimming.
http://swimswam.com/austin-grand-prix-psych-sheets-lochte-entered-wont-swim/
Ok. Sorry.
If now we can’t trust the psych sheets anymore! 🙄
Ryan will not be swimming in Austin, I expect him back in February
Ok, it’s only short course but it’s a huge record for him.
Very close to the Lochte’s world record.
If he had been a little more clever last year, he would have easily won the 400 IM at the Barcelona world championships. But he was dead at the end of the meet after a stupid crazy schedule.
He’s the guy to beat in the 400 IM in the next years.
Chase Kalisz will be his main opponent.
50.33?
That would be VERY impressive for him. Regardless, I’ve said it before: Hagino is the real deal.
He’s the real deal if he makes some smart choices.
Drop the 200 free, the 100 back and the 200 back!
Swim only the 400 free, the 200 IM and the 400 IM!