Japan Trials Prelims: Shogo Takeda Stares Down 800 Free National Record

2021 JAPAN SWIM (OLYMPIC TRIALS)

• Saturday, April 3rd – Saturday, April 10th
• Tokyo Olympic Aquatics Centre
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Promising races continued during day 4 of the Japan Swim Olympic Trials, the half-way point of the meet.

While there were no new Olympic Trial qualifiers during the prelims session, Shogo Takeda won the distance event within striking distance of the Japanese National Record. His season-best time, 7:50.57, from February is even closer to the 11-year-old record set at 7:49.65 by Takeshi Matsuda.

Three-fourths of Japan’s 9th place 4×00 free relay at the 2019 World Championships claimed the top 3 spots going into the men’s 100 free final. Akira Namba was able to win the prelims race with a .47 lead over National Record-holder Katsumi Nakamura.

Men’s 100 Freestyle

Top 3 Qualifiers:

1. Akira Namba – 48.90
2. Katsumi Nakamura – 49.37
3. Shinri Shioura – 49.47

Akira Namba claimed the top semifinals spot with a time of 48.90, just over half-a-second off Japan’s Olympic qualifying time. National Record-holder Katsumi Nakamura took 2nd place with a time of 49.37, a second-and-a-half off his National Record which he set at the Konami Open in 2018. Shinri Shioura was close behind, claiming the 3rd spot going into semifinals with a time of 49.47.

Nakamura and Shioura swam this event on Japan’s 4x100m free relay at the 2016 Olympics and placed 8th. All 3 of them participated on the relay at the 2019 World Championships, earning 9th place

Women’s 200 Butterfly

Top 3 Qualifiers:

1. Kotomi Yamagishi – 2:10.47
2. Suzuka Hasegawa – 2:10.87
3. Karin Uchida – 2:11.09

Suzuka Hasegawa, who is tied for the 6th fastest 200 fly in the world this season with Australia’s Elizabeth Dekkers, had the fastest 50 and 100 splits handily. She took the race out in 28.20 / 1:00.49 compared to Kotomi Yamagashi’s 29.13 / 1:01.78. On the 3rd 50, Yamagishi took charge and built a narrow lead, touching the wall 1st at 2:10.47. Karin Uchida, ranked #13 in this event globally this season, took the 3rd spot going into semifinals with a time of 2:11.09.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke

Top 3 Qualifiers:

1. Ryuya Mura – 2:09.80
2. Kaede Hirakawa – 2:09.95
3. Shoma Sato – 2:10.86

Shoma Sato, the fastest 200 breaststroker in the world this season, claimed the 3rd spot in the semifinals with a time of 2:10.86. Ryuya Mura and Kaede Hirakawa snagged 1st and 2nd, respectively, with times of 2:09.80 and 2:09.95. Mura was within 2 seconds of his season-best time (2:08.15), the 7th fastest 200 breast in the world this season. This 3rd place finish was a great swim for Hirakawa who placed 8th in the 100 breaststroke final.

Notably, National Record-holder Ippei Watanabe finished in 6th place with a time of 2:11.17. Watanabe clocked a 2:07.08 at the 2020 Japan Swim in December, ranking himself #3 in the world this season. This swim follows his 3rd place finish in the 100 breaststroke final.

Men’s 800 Freestyle

Top 3 Qualifiers:

1. Shogo Takeda – 7:53.04
2. Shui Kurokawa – 7:56.97
3. Ryo Nakajima – 7:58.82

Shogo Takeda touched the wall 1st with a time of 7:53.04, less than 3.5 seconds off the national record, set by Takeshi Matsuda at the 2009 Japanese Championships. While this swim was 2.5 seconds slower than Takeda’s season-best time of 7:50.57, which ranks him #5 in the world this year, it indicates he is still within striking distance of that record during Wednesday’s finals session. In October, Takeda took down the 800 free National Record in short course meters during a 1500 freestyle.

Shui Kurokawa and Ryo Nakajima were neck-and-neck most of the race, flipping at the 400-meter mark at 3:56.59 and3:56.80, respectively. Ultimately, Kurokawa snagged the 2nd semifinals spot with a time of 7:56.97,  about .8 ahead of Nakajima. Notably, Atsuya Yoshida, who is ranked #25 in the world this season, is listed as Did Not Start (DNS.)