101st JAPAN SWIM
- Thursday, March 19th – Sunday, March 22nd
- Tokyo Aquatics Center
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview
- Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap
- Live Results
The 101st Japan Swim saw the second World Junior Record go down at the hands of youngster Shin Ohashi, the World Junior Championships multi-medalist who makes waves every time he dives in.
After already ripping a new WJR of 26.98 to take 50m breaststroke gold here in his first-ever foray under the 27-second barrier, the just-turned-17-year-old smashed a new lifetime best of 2:06.59 to top the 200m breaststroke podium.
Shin demolished the domestic field, beating former World Record holder Ippei Watanabe who registered 2:08.57 for silver and Yamato Fukasawa who secured bronze in 2:08.72.
Shin’s monster performance lowered his own WJR of 2:06.91, a time he put on the books at the All Kinki High School Championships last July as a 16-year-old. Proving that it wasn’t a fluke, Ohashi nearly matched that result with a 2:06.96 stunner at the Japan Open last November.
The incredible feat this evening featured a blistering opener of 59.86, nearly unheard of for the first half of a 200m breast. For perspective, that sub-minute split would have garnered 8th place at the 2024 Olympic Games.
| Ohashi’s Old WJR – 2:06.91 | Ohashi’s New WJR – 2:06.59 |
| 28.52 | 27.95 |
| 32.42 (1:00.94) | 31.91 (59.86)!! |
| 32.82 | 33.00 |
| 33.15 | 33.73 |
Ohashi’s time renders the teen the world’s 7th-best performer of all time in this event.
Top 10 Men’s LCM 200 Breaststroke Performers All-Time
- Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 2:05.48, 2023
- Leon Marchand (FRA) – 2:05.85, 2024
- Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) – 2:05.95, 2022
- Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2:06.12, 2019
- Shoma Sato (JPN) – 2:06.40, 2021
- Matt Fallobnn (USA) – 2:06.54, 2024
- Shin Ohashi (JPN) – 2:06.59, 2026
- Matt Wilson (AUS) – 2:06.67, 2019 & Ippei Watanabe (JPN), 2:06.67, 2017
- –
- Arno Kamminga (NED) – 2:06.85, 2020
The rise of the Japanese teen element, one which also includes 18-year-old Tennessee swimmer Mizuki Hirai, helps soften the blow of the nation’s lack of Olympic hardware as of late. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, 400m IM silver medalist Tomoyuki Matsushita represented the sole medalist, despite such guns as Daiya Seto, Tomoru Honda and Watanabe among its roster.
Last year in Paris?? Paris was in 2024.
Kojima also broke Kos’ 2 IM WJR in 1:56.53
Has a WR ever been broken at the Japanese high school championships?
Do not think so, but not sure. I don’t think their Sports Festival is a High School meet, maybe college ago or open, but the 200 Breaststroke WR was lowered there in 2012
you might be right: https://swimswam.com/akihiro-yamaguchi-breaks-world-record-in-japan/
Yamaguchi’s 200 breast in 2012
In the article it says that it is a new Japanese national record but in your Top 10 All Time Performers table there is a Japanese swimmer in 5th place with a 2.06.40, is this incorrect or the national record?
Fixed! Shoma Sato still owns the JPN record. Thanks!
Wow to open in 59.8 is incredible. His fall off compared to his previous PB was not bad either. I could see him taking down the WR this year at the asian games.
Anyone know of any other sub 60 first 100s?
Kamminga in Tokyo was very close and went out in 60.09. I can’t find the splits for Peaty’s 2:08.34 from 2015 but it’s possible that he went sub-60 since when he swam 2:11 in 2016 his first 100 was 60.6.
im pretty certain peaty did go out sub 60 once but dont remember when/where (also the total time wasnt his PB)
Sub-60 at the 100m mark is insane, probably cost him a low-2:06 but to me shows his willingness to push the boundaries in this event. Looking for a 2:05 this summer
Insane front half speed. If he finds that last 50 he will be able to break the WR