2021 KOSUKE KITAJIMA CUP
- Friday, January 22nd – Sunday, January 24th
- Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Centre
- LCM (50m)
- Initial Entries (in Japanese)
While we reported the exciting matchups set to take place at next month’s Japan Open, including the first head-to-head between Kosuke Hagino and Daiya Seto, a different elite meet is nearly upon us.
Set for next weekend, January 22nd – January 24th at Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Centre, Japan’s top talent will be putting on another Olympic Trials dress rehearsal of sorts at the 2021 Kosuke Kitajima Cup.
Although not a selection event, the 3-day affair is another opportunity to try out race strategies, put training to the test and gain confidence with the sole Olympic qualifying meet of the Japan Swim looming in April.
As we noted in our Japan Open preview, which you can read here, Seto will make that his comeback competition, meaning he is not racing here at this Kitajima Cup. However, nearly everyone else is, with key entrants listed below.
Among them is leukemia survivor Rikako Ikee, representing Renaissance at her first meet of 2021. She was originally going to race at the Tokyo New Year’s Meet last weekend but decided to opt-out due to rising coronavirus cases within the city. We’ll keep tabs on her racing decision as this Kitajima Cup draws nearer.
Sampling of Entries for 2021 Kosuke Kitajima Cup
Natsumi Sakai
Katsuo Matsumoto
Miho Teramura
Konosuke Yanagimoto
Junya Koga
Shoma Sato
Kanako Watanabe
Ryosuke Irie
Shinri Shioura
Katsumi Nakamura
Kosuke Hagino
Rikako Ikee
Ippei Watanabe
Shinnosuke Ishikawa
Rio Shirai
Rika Omoto
