77th IZU SURUGA BAY CHAMPIONSHIPS (JPN)
- Saturday, February 4th & Sunday, February 5th
- Fuji Swimming Pool, Shizuoka Prefecture
- LCM (50m)
- Results
Olympic medalist Daiya Seto was in action over the weekend, contesting just one event at the 77th Izu Suruga Bay Championships.
Now representing Charis & Co, 28-year-old Seto raced the men’s 200m breaststroke at this two-day meet which took place in Shizuoka Prefecture. Seto stopped the clock in a time of 2:10.10 to grab the gold, opening in 1:02.68 and closing in 1:07.42.
His result not only topped the domestic podium but also checked in as the 3rd best performance of his career.
Top 3 200m Breast Times – Daiya Seto
- 2:08.98, 2019 Japan Open
- 2:10.05, 2016 Japan Open
- 2:10.10, 2023 Izu Suruga Bay Championships
Seto’s performance here pairs with his 1:56.72 200m IM produced earlier this month and bodes well for the all-important Japan Swimming Championships coming up in April. That meet represents the sole qualifying opportunity for this year’s World Championships taking place in Fukuoka.
Elsewhere in Japan over the weekend, a national high school record went down at the hands of Yamato Okadome.
Competing at the Chiba Prefecture Championships, Okadome produced a short course 100m breaststroke time of 57.69. Splitting 27.09/30.60, Okadome crushed the field, with the next closest swimmer getting to the wall in 1:02.06.
Okadome’s new lifetime best shaved .15 off of the Japanese High School Record in the SCM 100 breast, with the previous standard resting at the 57.84 Takutsuda Yokaichi put on the books in 2020.
Okadome is a 4-time Junior Pan Pacific Championships medalist. Last year in Hawaii he helped Japan capture bronze in the mixed medley and men’s medley relays. Individually, the teen also earned silver in the 100m breast and silver in the 200m breast events.
Setos breastroke is so underrated it literally carries half his im but he barely swims it individually for some reason
His breaststroke had looked the best I’ve ever seen it at the short course World Championships, so I can’t say I’m surprised but delighted to see such a fast time from him.
His PB is actually 2:08 from 2019:
https://swimswam.com/seto-unleashes-208-200-breast-while-milak-wins-twice-at-tokyo-open/
With Japan’s current 200 BR leaders not being as strong as in years past, I could see him getting a spot on the team for the event given his near WR in the SC 200 BR.