2024 JAPANESE OLYMPIC TRIALS
- Sunday, March 17th – Sunday, March 24th
- Tokyo Aquatics Center
- LCM (50m)
- Japan’s Olympic Selection Criteria
- Entries
- SwimSwam Entries Post
- Preview #1 / Preview #2
- Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap| Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap| Day 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap| Day 4 Finals Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Recap|Day 5 Finals Recap
- Day 6 Prelims Recap|Day 6 Finals Recap
- Live Result
- Livestream
Unfortunately for fans of 34-year-old Ryosuke Irie, the racing mainstay missed his final chance of making a 5th Olympic Games appearance.
Racing on day 6 of the 2024 Japanese Olympic Trials, Irie clocked a time of 1:58.37 to bag bronze in the men’s 200m backstroke, well short of the 1:56.92 selection standard set by the Japanese Swimming Federation (JASF).
19-year-old Hidekazu Takehara topped the podium in 1:56.28, beating the QT while Keita Sunama fell just .09 shy en route to silver.
Irie was 2nd in the 100 back (54.10) on night three of this competition, but missed the qualification standard of 53.21. He clocked 53.46 at the Asian Games in September but wasn’t able to near that mark here in Tokyo.
Of note, it’s possible, although unlikely historically, that Irie could be nominated for selection as a prelims medley relay swimmer.
After the race, Irie stated, “I did what I could. In the end, I held my breath and swam.
“There’s nothing I can say right away. In the end, I want to praise myself. I’ve been a competitive swimmer all my life. It’s a shame.
He continued, “Many of them [qualifiers] are on the Olympic team for the first time, so I feel a generational change.
Regarding his career, Irie said, “There’s nothing left undone.” (Sponichi)
The veteran has been a constant on the elite international backstroking scene for nearly 20 years, representing Japan since 2006.
2023 Fukuoka marked Irie’s 8th consecutive long course World Championships appearance and he raced at a remarkable 4 Olympic Games. Only fellow Japanese swimmers Kosuke Kitajima and Takeshi Matsuda tie the 4 Games record.
Below are Irie’s career results as a testament to his longevity and consistency, despite falling short here in Tokyo,
Ryosuke Irie‘s Olympic Games Results in 100 Back
| YEAR | PLACE | TIME |
| 2008 | N/A | N/A |
| 2012 | Bronze | 52.97 |
| 2016 | 7th | 53.42 |
| 2020 | 9th | 53.21 |
Ryosuke Irie‘s Olympic Games Results in 200 Back
| YEAR | PLACE | TIME |
| 2008 | 5th | 1:55.72 |
| 2012 | Silver | 1:53.78 |
| 2016 | 8th | 1:56.36 |
| 2020 | 7th | 1:57.32 |
Ryosuke Irie‘s Long Course World Championships Results in 100 Back
| YEAR | PLACE | TIME |
| 2009 | 4th | 52.73 |
| 2011 | 3rd | 52.98 |
| 2013 | 4th | 53.29 |
| 2015 | 6th | 53.10 |
| 2017 | 4th | 53.03 |
| 2019 | 6th | 53.22 |
| 2022 | 7th | 52.83 |
| 2023 | 18th | 53.98 |
‘
Ryosuke Irie‘s Long Course World Championships Results in 200 Back
| YEAR | PLACE | TIME |
| 2009 | 2nd | 1:52.51 *Current Asian Record |
| 2011 | 2nd | 1:54.11 |
| 2013 | 4th | 1:55.07 |
| 2015 | 4th | 1:54.81 |
| 2017 | 7th | 1:56.35 |
| 2019 | 5th | 1:56.52 |
| 2022 | N/A | N/A |
| 2023 | N/A | N/A |
We must cure aging
NOOOOOOOO!
Here is a video of Irie bowing out and waving to the crowd, and possibly to the end of his career as well (?)
https://twitter.com/usa40swimmer/status/1771138556297437276
dude may have never gotten that olympic gold, but he’s the backstroke aesthetics GOAT. The greatest bottle drill swimmer of all time.
Irie has the most aesthetically beautiful backstroke I think I’ve ever seen. He’s a great champion. I wish him luck in the future.
Regardless of what happened tonight Irie will always be a backstroke LEGEND
Are Japan taking a Medley Relay? He finished 2nd in the hundred so maybe they take him for the heats of that?
Does he really want that? He has been to 4 OG already.
Doubtful. At OLYs you need to use your best swimmers on the prelims unless you’re USA
For the men’s relays, most definitely. The heats for all 3 relays will most likely be cut-throat and even USA may take care not to be “too cute” with their selections.
Women’s …. generally the composition of the finals is fairly clear cut with the scramble probably only on for the very outside lanes.
They won’t take Irie. They’ll probably only take the guy who won the 100 Back provided that the winning times in the 100 Back, Breast, Fly, Free add up to a time faster than the time set by the JASF.
Right now, I think Japan is sending the Men’s and Women’s Free Relay; and Men’s and Women’s 400 Medley Relay.