Still Seeking Paris Qualification, Daiya Seto Logs 1:59.06 200 IM On Day 6 Of Japanese Trials

2024 JAPANESE OLYMPIC TRIALS

• Sunday, March 17th – Sunday, March 24th
• Tokyo Aquatics Center
• LCM (50m)
• Japan’s Olympic Selection Criteria
• Entries
• SwimSwam Entries Post
• Preview #1 / Preview #2
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap| Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap| Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap| Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Recap| Day 5 Finals Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream

The sixth of seven prelim sessions at the 2024 Japanese Olympic Trials is now complete, and only four events were on the schedule. Those events were the women’s 200 backstroke, men’s 50 freestyle, men’s 200 IM, and men’s 50 breaststroke.

The women’s 200 back saw two swimmers post times in the 2:12-range, with 18-year-old Yuzuki Mizuno leading the way at 2:12.23. She’s been as quick as 2:09.17 in this particular event, which she put on the books at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships. Mizuno snagged gold at that meet, touching ahead of teammate Mio Narita, who qualified for Paris earlier this week in the 400 IM.

Hanane Hironaka, also 18, finished just behind Mizuno this morning in 2:12.42. The two swam completely different races, with Mizuno emphasizing front end speed and Hironaka focusing on the back half.

Splits Comparison:

Marina Furubayashi, who owns a lifetime best of 2:08.89, checked-in at 2:13.03 this morning. Newly turned 17-year-old Chiaki Yamamoto (2:13.25) is also in the hunt as we move into the semifinals, and everyone will be seeking the 2:08.65 qualifying time set by Swimming Japan once the final rolls around.

In the men’s one lap dash, it was 32-year-old Shinri Shioura who topped the preliminary field. Hitting the wall in 22.35, he represented the only competitor to swim under 22.5. Shioura has been a mainstay on the Japanese National scene since 2008, highlighted by two gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games. Shioura’s best time and national record stands at the 21.67 that he produced back in 2019, and he’ll need to near that mark because Swimming Japan’s Paris qualifying time is 21.82.

30-year-old Katsumi Nakamura, another legend of the Japanese team, sits in 4th at 22.56. He set his lifetime best (21.87) in the 50 free at the 2018 Kirara Cup.

Daiya Seto, who is still seeking Paris qualification after missing the mark in both the 400 IM and 200 fly, finished 1st overall in the men’s 200 IM heats. He stopped the clock in 1:59.06, and will certainly be seeking the mandated time of 1:57.51 later this week, assuming he safely advances to the final.

Seto’s season-best 1:57.54 from the Doha World Championships last month is only 0.03 outside the cut needed for Paris, so he’s definitely in with a good shot. Seto’s personal best is 1:55.55, which he put on the board at the FINA Champions Series in 2020.

Seto’s splits from this morning’s heat included a 25.55 on butterfly, 30.26 on backstroke, 34.27 on breaststroke, and 29.29 on freestyle.

The men’s 50 breast ended the penultimate heats session, where 17 swimmers swam a time in the 27-second realm. Top seed honors went to So Kijima (27.53) with Koushirou Nishio (27.55) and Yoshiteru Yamanaka (27.60) not too far behind.

Many of the heavy-hitters in the other breast events here in Tokyo, such as Ippei Watanabe, Yamato Fukasawa,  Yu Hanaguruma, Shoma Sato did not compete, as they seem focused on only the Olympic distances.