Japanese swimmer Ayatsugu Hirai has broken the National Record in the 1500 short course meters freestyle at last week’s Japan Winter University Championships while representing Meiji University.
Hirai swam a 14:31.64 which broke the old record of 14:32.88 done by star Kosuke Hagino at the 2013 World Cup stop in Tokyo.
That is Hirai’s first National Record, and is more than 10 seconds faster than his previous personal best in the event. Hehe wasn’t on Japan’s team for Short Course Worlds in December, but he did place 10th at the 2014 Pan Pac Championships in the 1500, swimming 15:22.70 in long course meters there.
He has established himself as one of the two premier distance swimmers in Japan, and finished 9th in the 1500 long course meter free at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships, just missing the final by three seconds (15:03.45).
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Good time, just off Vendt’s AR of 14:31.02, which, btw, is ripe for the picking for Jaeger or McBroom if they get around to swimming it scm during a rest or taper period.