World Record Holder Tomoru Honda Opting Out Of SC Worlds

64TH JAPAN SC SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Saturday, October 22nd & Sunday, October 23rd
  • Tatsumi International Swimming Center, Tokyo, Japan
  • SCM (25m)
  • Results

When the Japanese roster for the 2022 FINA Short Course World Championships was released we knew that 15-year-old Mio Narita was absent, despite having won the 400m IM title at the nation’s qualifying meet.

Now we know of another absence.

Newly-minted World Record holder Tomoru Honda confirmed to SwimSwam today that he has declined his roster spot for Melbourne.

“I need to return to school, therefore I won’t have time to rest,” Honda told SwimSwam.

It was just days ago that Honda blasted a time of 1:46.85 in the men’s 200m fly to earn gold at the Japan Short Course Championships, overtaking Daiya Seto’s previous WR mark of 1:48.24.

Honda was set to compete in the 200m fly as well as the 200m IM in Melbourne. Japan still has Seto as the frontrunner in the 200m IM while Teppei Morimoto will join him in the 200m fly based on results in Tokyo last weekend.

At last year’s Short Course World Championships, Italy’s Alberto Razzetti took the men’s 200m fly gold, clocking a time of 1:49.06. Honda’s World Record is over 2 seconds faster than that result.

Men’s Roster

Yuya Hinomoto
Takeshi Kawamoto
Masahiro Kawane
Kosuke Matsui
Hidenari Mano
Katsuhiro Matsumoto
Shuya Matsumoto
Teppei Morimoto
Ryota Naito
Katsumi Nakamura
Masaki Niyama
So Ogata
Kenta Ozaki
Yuya Sakamoto
Daiya Seto
Yuya Tanaka
Shogo Takeda
Daiki Yanagawa
Kamino Yumejinho (relay only)
Ippei Watanabe

Women’s Roster

Sayaka Akase
Reona Aoki
Mai Fukasawa
Chihiro Igarashi
Katomi Kato
Waka Kobori
Yumeno Kusuda
Airi Mitsui
Yukimi Moriyama
Aoi Nakashima
Miyu Namba
Yui Ohashi
Rio Shirai
Ai Soma
Ayami Suzuki
Miki Takahashi
Karin Uchida
Chiaki Yamamoto

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BOBFROMTHEISLAND
2 years ago

It sucks being a swimming fan most days cause you only get to watch all the best compete together once every quad.

Better financial incentives for swimmers would solve many of these issues, but we just don’t have the juice as a sport for that. Ironic when you consider swimming is one of the more costly sports to partake in

Ragnar
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
2 years ago

Yeah it’s similar to track. A WR record holder in swimming or track likely “is more talented” than a NFL teams backup running back, but only one of those could win you money on betting sites or be the name on a jersey. Tough to compare, even Chalmers thought long and hard about pursuing Aussie rules footy. Money had to play into that a lot other than the passion part

Last edited 2 years ago by Ragnar
JimmySwim
Reply to  Ragnar
2 years ago

I imagine that Chalmers has done much better financially than most AFL players. However, to make a killing as an AFL player you only need to be in the top 300-400 or so in the country. To make a killing from swimming you need to be the best in the world, preferably at multiple events.

Sophie
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
2 years ago

While I agree that there should be more financial incentives in swimming, I will push back and say it’s not one of the more costly sports.

Consider tennis or baseball – which equipment is very costly and has to be maintained – or consider nearly every winter sport! The cost of skiing or hockey is outrageous!

This Guy
Reply to  Sophie
2 years ago

Pools are kind of expensive

ur mom
2 years ago

Deep Trouble
2 years ago

Popovici should follow suit. He won’t be able to defeat Chalmers in the SC 100 free, so it would be better if he didn’t show up.

FST
Reply to  Deep Trouble
2 years ago

At his age, he should swim every meet. 1) he’ll take a little power nap and that’s all he needs for revovery. 2) best way to train to defeat the big boys is race them. Often.

The unoriginal Tim
2 years ago

That’s cause SC Worlds are mid.

Khachaturian
2 years ago

Bruh

oxyswim
2 years ago

Boooo! I need the Cardale Jones approach on this one.

iLikePsych
2 years ago

SCM WR holders not going to SCM Worlds is so fetch these days

Hswimmer
2 years ago

Hopefully they are drug testing. Weird a WR holder would not want to be at SC worlds. This sport is just 🙄

Bo Swims
Reply to  Hswimmer
2 years ago

Testing is part of the record ratification process…

Hank
Reply to  Hswimmer
2 years ago

Did you watch the race video? Hondas stroke is smooth as butter. No drugs needed.

Last edited 2 years ago by Hank
FST
Reply to  Hank
2 years ago

That was really a gorgeous 200 fly. Almost Milak-esque.

JimmySwim
Reply to  Hswimmer
2 years ago

Dressel has 6 SCM WRs and he isn’t going. I guess that makes it 6x more likely he’s done something illegal than Honda then?

ooo
Reply to  JimmySwim
2 years ago

50 free, 100 Fly 100 IM for sure from ISL, what are the others?

Craig
Reply to  ooo
2 years ago

Relays. 4×50 free men and mixed, 4×100 free https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_world_records_in_swimming

ooo
Reply to  Craig
2 years ago

Ooops, I forgot the relays Thanks! (I see that the French 4X50 free was way faster in 2008 but it not the current WR. FINA never stops to surprise)

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.

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