Japan’s Nao Horomura Rattles WJR With 1:55.37 in 200 Fly

JAPAN SWIM 2017 (JAPANESE NATIONALS)

In a banner day for young butterflyers in Japan, both 200 fly junior world records went under assault on Saturday of Japanese nationals. Nao Horomura very nearly broke the men’s record with a 1:55.37.

Like his teammate Suzaka Hasegawa on the women’s side, Horomura challenged a record held by a Chinese swimmer, amplifying the international rivalry leading up to this summer’s World Championships and next summer’s Asian Games. Horomura’s 1:55.37 tops the 1:55.52 set by China’s Li Zhuhao back in August of 2015. But Li lowered that record just two days ago to 1:55.09.

Updated to include Li’s recent swim.

Horomura just turned 18 a few months ago, in January. He’ll have until December 31 of this year to remain eligible for the junior world record. That period will likely include the World Championships this summer. He’s already got a pretty solid international track record at the junior level, having won Junior Worlds back in 2015 and Junior Pan Pacs last summer.

He currently sits #6 in the world ranks for this season, two spots behind China’s Li:

2016-2017 LCM MEN 200 FLY

ChadRSA
LE CLOS
07/26
1.53.33
2Masato
SAKAI
JPN1.53.7104/15
3Laszlo
CSEH
HUN1.53.7207/26
4Kristof
MILAK
HUN1.53.79*WJR07/01
5Nao
HOROMURA
JPN1.53.9008/20
6Daiya
SETO
JPN1.54.0307/25
7Tamás
Kenderesi
HUN1:54.3306/24
8Jack
CONGER
USA1.54.4706/27
9Pace
CLARK
USA1.54.5806/27
10Chase
KALISZ
USA1.54.7906/27
View Top 26»

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bobo gigi
7 years ago

Japan is able to produce year after year super young talents in the 200 fly. Other countries should look at their methods.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
7 years ago

Serious business going all over the world for the 200 fly . One of the most interesting races to watch this summer ….so many could sneak in the final

Ex Quaker
7 years ago

It’s funny to talk about the 200 fly JWR knowing how fast Phelps was at 18.

name
Reply to  Ex Quaker
7 years ago

1:54.5 when he was 16! then 1:53 in 2003( i think he was 18)

Boknows34
Reply to  name
7 years ago

Phelps’ beat time as a Junior was 1.53.93 at the Barcelona WC 2003.

Boknows34
Reply to  Boknows34
7 years ago

*best

IMs for days
7 years ago

It would be the record had Zhuhao not broken it 2 days earlier with a 1:55.09

Boknows34
7 years ago

Li Zhuhao is also born Jan 1999, so his 1.55.09 from April 13th is actually the WJR.

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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