2018 Japan Swim: Hagino Bows Out of Men’s 200 Free

2018 JAPAN SWIM (JAPANESE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS)

After a stunning day 1 in Tokyo, we had a more laid back morning session with swimming quietly setting themselves up nicely for tonight’s semi-finals.

The big news of the morning was that Olympian Kosuke Hagino wound up not swimming one of his key events, the men’s 200m freestyle, after a disappointing (by his standards) showing in the 400m freestyle yesterday. In the 400m free final, Hagino wound up taking silver in a respectable 3:48.47, but the swimmer was unsatisfied after historically taking the top of the podium domestically when swimming the event.

The implications for Hagino not swimming the 200m may be bigger than just these Championships, as the meet serves as the selection competition for this summer’s Pan Pacific Championships. Japan, as with most nations, does have a discretionary selection clause within their qualification procedures, so Hagino may still yet compete against the likes of Townley Haas of America and Kyle Chalmers of Australia should they both race at Pan Pacs.

Hagino is still slated to swim the 200m IM and 400m IM events here in Tokyo, so the man may be putting all his eggs in those baskets to produce something special as a warning shot for the Pan Pacs happening on his home turf in Tokyo.

Top seeds from this morning:

  • Anna Konishi raced fastest in the morning heats of the women’s 100m back, clocking 1:00.00.
  • The women’s 100m breast saw Kanako Watanabe produce a swift 1:07.30 for top seed.
  • Takaya Yasue was this morning fastest men’s 50m flyer in 23.87.
  • With teen star Rikako Ikee opting out of the 200m freestyle, Tomomi Aoki captured the top seed in 1:59.57.
  • In Hagino’s absence, it was Reo Sakata snatching the men’s 200m free top seed in 1:48.27.

In This Story

6
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

6 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ERVINFORTHEWIN
6 years ago

So who’s stepping Up for Japan in the 200 free to compete with Haas , Pieroni , Frazer -Holmes , Chalmers this summer ?

Bear drinks beer
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
6 years ago

Americans can win it easily unless the Chinese national team participates.

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
6 years ago

Nobody. You forgot to mention Dean Farris ?

ERVINFORTHEWIN

thats right – Farris is up there

Aquajosh
6 years ago

56.38 for Ikee in the 100 fly final. She’s now within a second of Sjostrom’s WR. 58.4 for Suzuka Hasegawa bodes well for her 200 fly.

Boknows34
6 years ago

Ikee improves her 100 fly NR to 56.38

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

Read More »