Daiya Seto Becomes First Person to Six-Peat at Worlds With Gold In the 400 IM

2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

  • World Record: 3:54.81 – Daiya Seto (JPN), 2019
  • World Junior Record: 3:56.47, Ilya Borodin (RSF), 2021
  • Championship Record: 3:55.50, Ryan Lochte (USA), 2010
  • 2021 Champion: 3:56.26, Daiya Seto (JPN)

RESULTS:

  1. GOLD: Daiya Seto (Japan) – 3:55.75
  2. SILVER: Carson Foster (United States) – 3:57.63
  3. BRONZE: Matt Sates (South Africa) – 3:59.21
  4. Alberto Razzetti (Italy) – 4:00.45
  5. So Ogata (Japan) – 4:02.21
  6. Jake Foster (United States) – 4:02.51
  7. David Schlicht (Australia) – 4:04.33
  8. Richard Nagy (Slovakia) – 4:05.57

With his win in the 400m IM, Daiya Seto made history on Day 5 of the 2022 Short Course World Championships, becoming the first person to six-peat in an event at Worlds–in either short course or long course.

His streak started in 2012 when at the age of 18 he surprised many by winning the event by over a second ahead of the powerful Hungarian duo of Laslo Cseh and David VerrasztoHis time of 3:59.15 was the only one under the 4:00 mark, and was an Asian record at the time.

Seto continued to make a name for himself on the international stage in both short course and long course. During the ISL season in 2019, she broke Ryan Lochtes nine-year-old world record of 3:55.50 by crushing a time of 3:54.81.

Here in Melbourne, the 28-year-old was pushed by a fast start from rising stars Carson Foster and Matt SatesAt the halfway point, the three all turned within three-tenths of each other; Foster was in the lead, but Seto and Sates were right behind.

Seto turned on the jets during the breaststroke leg, showcasing the power that won him gold in the 200 breast earlier in the meet. He took over the lead after 25 meters of breasts and never looked back. The Japanese star clocked 3:55.75, just shy of the Championship Record and the fastest winning time at Worlds over the course of his unbeaten streak.

SC Worlds Men’s 400 IM Podiums: 2012-2022

Year Gold Silver Bronze
2012 Daiya Seto, JPN – 3:59.15 Laslo Cseh, HUN – 4:00.50 David Verraszto, HUN – 4:02.87
2014 Daiya Seto, JPN – 3:56.33 Kosuke Hagino, JPN – 4:01.17 David Verraszto, HUN – 4:01.82
2016 Daiya Seto, JPN – 3:59.24 Max Litchfield, GBR – 4:00.66 David Verraszto, HUN – 4:01.56
2018 Daiya Seto, JPN – 3:56.43 Thomas Fraser-Holmes, AUS – 4:02.74 Brandonn Almeida, BRA – 4:03.71
2021 Daiya Seto, JPN – 3:56.26 Ilya Borodin, RSF – 3:56.47 Carson Foster, USA- 3:57.99
2022 Daiya Seto, JPN – 3:55.75 Carson Foster, USA – 3:57.63 Matt Sates, RSA – 3:59.21

“I was focused on this event,” Seto said after the race. “I swam the 200 IM and 200 butterfly and 200 breast but the 400 IM is my favorite event.

“I never lose in short course.”

Despite this impressive feat, Seto doesn’t seem to be resting on his laurels. This has been a bounce-back year for him after a disappointing home Olympic Games. Now, he’s focused on his next goal, stating he wants to be the long course world champion in 2023.

The opportunity to do so will come on home soil, as Fukuoka, Japan will play host to the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in July.

At LC Worlds this past summer, Seto won bronze in the 200 IM and finished fourth in the 400, trailing Frenchman Leon Marchand and Americans Foster and Chase Kalisz.

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Bud
1 year ago

This FINA->World Aquatics thing is like having your friend change pronouns and become a “they”. It feels dumb and will take time to get used to…

Troyy
Reply to  Bud
1 year ago

They’re just following the trend of the other global sport federations.

Bud
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

Such as?

Troyy
Reply to  Bud
1 year ago

IAAF -> World Athletics
INF -> World Netball
FITA -> World Archery
IDSF -> World DanceSport
IRFB -> World Rugby
IYRU -> World Sailing

the list goes on …

SwimDad4Lyfe
1 year ago

He should swim DIII! I’m sure he would find a great mix of academics and athletics! If I were this young man, I’d consider swimming somewhere like UChicago, NYU, Case Western Reserve University, or even John Carrol, and use my swimming expertise to net myself a world-class education! Athletic talent fades; Mental fortitude does not.

YourLocalD3Swimmer
Reply to  SwimDad4Lyfe
1 year ago

Uhm, what? You do know that Mr. Seto is a multiple time world Champion right? Surely he would never consider Division III Swimming!

YourLocalD3Swimmer
Reply to  SwimDad4Lyfe
1 year ago

WOW! Never mind. My perspective has been entirely changed. I just contacted Douglas Milliken, head coach of Case Western Reserve University, and he told me about his FABULOUS new training methods that will get Daiya down to a 3:53 in the SCM 400 IM and SHATTER the World Record! All I can say is… why didn’t Michael Phelps swim D3??????????

SwimDad4Lyfe
Reply to  YourLocalD3Swimmer
1 year ago

I was about to respond to your first comment in an admittedly upset tone. However, you quickly came around. There’s nothing I respect more than someone who can change their mind when they come across new information… You, YourLocalD3Swimmer, are a fine human being! Can you imagine if Mr. Seto took his talents to NYU or even CWRU. I’m sure he would find a fine training partner in Peter Meng!

FLSwimmer
Reply to  SwimDad4Lyfe
1 year ago

Get a room…

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
1 year ago

End of year Swammys coming soon?

Mclovin
1 year ago

Seto is maybe the greatest swimmer to never win an olympic gold medal. Hadnt the Olympics have been postponed one year, he might have won 2 gold medals. He was invincible during 2020.

college swimmer
Reply to  Mclovin
1 year ago

Laszlo Cseh

oxyswim
Reply to  college swimmer
1 year ago

Seto’s 2019-20 peak was higher than the peak of Cseh’s career but unless you value SC at the same level as LC, you can’t really make an argument that he had a better career.

Jason
Reply to  Mclovin
1 year ago

Wouldn’t say greatest, def top 5 tho. Off the top of my head, cseh, biedermann maybe

Khachaturian
Reply to  Jason
1 year ago

nah not biedermann not a very long career only was around 2008-2016

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  Khachaturian
1 year ago

Lol. That’s longer than Thorpie’s career.

torchbearer
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
1 year ago

Indeed……yet I am only angry about 0.01 seconds of his career!

BadShoulder
Reply to  Jason
1 year ago

Biedermann was magnificent in 2009 and quite good through to 2015, but he didn’t have the longevity or consistency of Cseh and Seto.

Aquajosh
Reply to  Mclovin
1 year ago

I think he could still do it. He just needs to change his focus to the 200 breast. There is no singular standout performer in that event and it’s ripe to be broken wide open..

ddd
Reply to  Aquajosh
1 year ago

If Seto devotes herself to the 200m breaststroke, I don’t think it will be difficult for her to win a medal at a major international long-course competition, but it will be extremely difficult for her to even represent Japan in the 200m breaststroke. There are two runners with 2.06 seconds, two runners with 2.07 seconds, and multiple runners with 2.08 seconds. Dedicating myself to the 200m breaststroke would not be a wise choice.

chinnychenchen
Reply to  ddd
1 year ago

this sounds like it was written with google translate

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Sophie Kaufman

Sophie grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, which means yes, she does root for the Bruins, but try not to hold that against her. At 9, she joined her local club team because her best friend convinced her it would be fun. Shoulder surgery ended her competitive swimming days long ago, …

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