2025 KOSUKE KITAJIMA CUP
- Friday, January 24th – Sunday, January 26th
- Tokyo Aquatics Center, Tokyo, Japan
- LCM (50m)
On Friday, the 2025 Kosuke Kitajima Cup is set to kick-off from the Tokyo Aquatics Center, site of swimming action at the 2020 Olympic Games. The 3-day competition represents one of three annual ‘K’ meets, with both the annual Konami Open and Kirara Cup taking place next month.
This competition represents a qualifying opportunity for swimmers to etch their names onto the Japanese roster for this year’s World Championships. The primary qualification meet is the Japan Swim slated for April.
New for the Kosuke Kitajima Cup is the fact that 50m distances of each discipline will be held as a three-round knockout competition with 10 competitors narrowed down to 4 and then finally a head-to-head final battle.
Although we’re waiting on official entries, we know the following competitors are expected to appear:
- Reona Aoki – Japan’s national record holder in the women’s 100m breast; placed 19th in the event at the 2024 Olympic Games.
- Shiho Matsumoto – Japan’s 3rd-swiftest women’s 100m fly and 5th-fastest 200m IM performer in history.
- Tomoyuki Matsushita – The sole Olympic medalist in Paris, having earned silver in the men’s 400m IM.
- Taku Taniguchi – Recently topped both the 50m and 100m breaststroke podiums at the South Australian State Open Championships.
- Mio Narita – 18-year-old who placed 6th in the women’s 400m IM at last year’s Olympic Games.
