101st JAPAN STUDENT SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, September 4th – Sunday, September 7th
- Tokyo Aquatics Centre
- LCM (50m)
- Results
There’s been a lull in international competitions since the conclusion of the World Championships but this week’s Japan Student Swimming Championships has launched some fireworks ahead of next month’s World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.
The reigning Olympic silver medalist in the men’s 400m IM, Tomoyuki Matsushita, raced his pet event on day one of the four-day meet, ripping a new lifetime best en route to gold.
The 20-year-old crushed a mark of 4:07.21 to defeat the field by two seconds handily.
Matsushita’s effort overtook his previous PB of 4:08.32, which he established en route to snagging silver behind Olympic gold medalist Leon Marchand (4:04.73) in Singapore.
Asaki Nishikawa, the 4th-place finisher at Worlds, clocked 4:09.26 as runner-up this evening, followed by Shunya Kimura, who bagged the bronze in 4:12.13.
Matushita’s 4:07.21 erased the meet record, as well, overtaking the 4:09.62 Olympic champion Kosuke Hagino put on the books in 2014.
Below is a comparison of Norimasa Hirai-trained athlete’s top 3 performances.
| Matsushita’s New 4:07.21 PB | Matsushita’s Silver 4:08.32 from Singapore | Matsushita’s Silver 4:08.62 from Paris |
| 54.67 | 56.07 | 56.52 |
| 1:03.45 | 1:04.45 | 1:04.61 |
| 1:11.61 | 1:11.11 | 1:10.43 |
| 57.48 | 56.69 | 57.06 |
The ace’s new PB now renders him the 10th swiftest 400m IM performer in history, joining fellow Japanese swimmers Hagino and Daiya Seto.
Top 10 Men’s LCM Performers All-Time
- Leon Marchand (FRA) – 4:02.50, 2023
- Michael Phelps (USA) – 4:03.84, 2008
- Ryan Lochte (USA) – 4:05.18, 2012
- Chase Kalisz (USA) – 4:05.90, 2017
- Kosuke Hagino (JPN) – 4:06.05, 2016
- Daiya Seto (JPN) – 4:06.09, 2020
- Laszlo Cseh (HUN) – 4:06.16, 2008
- Carson Foster (USA) – 4:06.56, 2022
- Tyler Clary (USA) – 4:06.96, 2009
- Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN) – 4:07.21, 2025
After the race, Matsushita told Hochi News, “My goal was to see how far I could improve my personal best. I had been stuck in the 4 minutes 8 second range for a long time, so I was finally able to take a step forward. I feel more relieved than happy.” (Hochi News)
He also said he had many meetings with Coach Hirai after the World Championships to find a way to win against world record holder Marchand. He feels that “the adjustments I made to my mental state have led to the changes in my times so far.”
First half of his race was insane. Especially on the butterfly compared to his old bests.
Second place swimming 4:09 low is pretty mad as well.
What’s his 200 fly PB?
Is he swimming it here? Based on 400IM split, he’d crush his 200 fly PB
1:59.82 from 2022. he hasn’t swum it since and he’s not entered here
japan and the 400im, here we go again!
What you said is a little contradicted. If you believe Carson could’ve done 4:05 already, then why do you think it’s crazy for Tomoyuki, who is a lot younger than Carson and beat Carson at Olympics, to think about challenging Marchand? Marchand won the world title with 4:04.73 in Singapore. It would be very close if someone could go 4:05 or faster.
What you said is a little contradicted. If you believe Carson could’ve done 4:05 already, then why do you think it’s crazy for Matsushita, who is a lot younger than Carson and beat Carson at Olympics, to think about challenging Marchand. Marchand won the world title with 4:04.73 in Singapore. It would be very close if someone could go 4:05 or faster.
I also thought it’s crazy for Titmus to think about beating Katie Ledecky, the greatest distance freestyler in history, in 400 free.
Someone is doing the work!