Japanese Dynamo Yamato Fukazawa Breaks Thumb, Will Compete In Singapore With Bolt In His Hand

2025 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Saturday, July 26th – Sunday, August 3rd (pool swimming)
• OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships are nearly upon us, with pool swimming action kicking off from the OCBC Aquatic Centre in Singapore on Saturday, July 26th.

The nation of Japan held one of the earliest World Championship Trials on the global schedule, with its sole qualification competition held in March of this year.

One of the qualifiers making it onto the squad in the breaststroke discipline was 24-year-old Yamato Fukazawa, having won both the 100m breast (59.24) and 200m breast (2:07.47) events at the meet. The former rendered him Japan’s 4th-best performer of all time.

Training leading up to Singapore hasn’t been an easy road for the Short Course World Championships bronze medalist, however, as 47 News reported that Fukazawa broke his thumb in early May.

He reportedly broke the base of his left thumb and had surgery at the end of the month, only returning to full-scale training in the pool on June 23rd. Fukazawa will compete in Singapore with a bolt still in place in his hand.

During his time being unable to train in the pool, Fukazawa focused on bike training, with the swimmer citing that his legs have ‘actually become stronger.’

“I will still aim for the gold medal and a new Japanese record [at the World Championships]”, the eager Fukazawa told 47 News.

Not wasting any time trying to get some racing in ahead of Singapore now that he’s able to swim again, Fukazawa recently competed at the Waseda-Keio Water Meet held at the Tokyo Aquatics Center on June 29th. He reached a time of 2:12.34 in the 200m breast, citing afterwards, “I’m having fun practicing.” (47 News)

Last year we reported how Fukasawa, training partner of former World Record holder Ippei Watanabe, has a unique support arrangement with his employer, Tokyu Railways.

After graduating from Keio University in the spring of 2023, Fukasawa joined Tokyu as a general employee and was reportedly granted a long-term exemption from work to focus on his competitive swimming. You can read more about this here.