Daiya Seto of Japan became his nation’s first-ever double IM champion when he took home the 200m and 400m IM titles at the 2019 FINA World Championships. Since then, however, the 26-year-old dad of two has had a tumultuous time, admitting to an extramarital affair that rendered him suspended for the latter half of the 2020 season, as well as out of the Olympic team captain job.
This is outside of the fact that the entire world was dealing with a coronavirus pandemic, a situation that rendered many swimmers out of the pool and out of regular training for some time.
However, Seto remains one of the best swimmers on the planet, ranked #1 in the 400m IM, #9 in the 200m IM and #7 in the 200m fly with a home-based Games on the horizon.
With the U.S. Trials and Australian Trials, along with most of the world’s rosters already announced for the Olympics, Seto is eyeing his competition heading into Tokyo, envisioning what his final competition may look like.
“We now know who’s competing from which country, so I have a clearer picture of what to expect,” Seto told The Japan Times this week.
To aid in his final preparation, Seto, along with other Olympic team members, has been training at altitude at the Yunomaru Kogen Sports Exchange Facility, located in the city of Tomi in Nagano Prefecture. The pool is positioned at an elevation of 1750 meters (~5741 feet) on the Yunomaru highlands.
His teammate, Olympic gold medalist Kosuke Hagino, also at altitude, said, “Until now, media reports tended to be about the negative impact of hosting the games. All we could do was have faith and keep on training, but now that we’re in the fine-tuning stage I have that exciting countdown feel.”
Both Seto and Hagino will be taking on the world in the 200 IM, while Seto will also be participating in the 400m IM and 200m fly individual events.
Seto is reportedly training at Toni City until July 21st, just 2 days before the opening ceremony and 3 days before the 400 IM.
Seto is going to OWN the 4 IM. He may get very very close to the WR. Would I be surprised if he broke it? Nope. Either way, I am happy this race is at the beginning because this is one race I can’t wait to see.
Well, this could happen IF he recovered his peak form. IF not he could just get a minor medal with a 4:07ish
A minor medal with a 4:07? Who else is going to go sub 4:07?
Kalisz
in terms of best time, kalisz has the best chance of going 4:07 alongside seto, but he hasn’t shown that he can since 2018 pan pacs. he didn’t even final at 2019 worlds and only gone 4:09:09 at trials. if he can prove that his performance at worlds was a one off, then it will be good
He can train on Mars, he ain’t beating MA.
Le clos didn’t ask to train with him also?
Meanwhile, Michael Andrew will complete his most challenging set to date, 6 x 50 at race pace on 15:00 rest.
You really have no idea how USRPT works do you?
I agree with Justhereforfun. You must not understand USRPT
Either way what if your silly set is what he does. I’m guessing he’s qualified for more Olympic events than you have ever thought of. Swimming is “kind of” about results.
Typical train-to-train rather than train-to-race philosophy that is so rampant in swimming. At the end in this sport, what’s more “challenging”: doing 10 X 400 IM on short rest, which lots of people down to age groupers can do, or doing a 1:55 200 IM that only a few people in history have done. I’d take the Olympic medal over swim practice tough guy boasting rights any day.
Plot twist he is doing USRPT and will go 3:59
I think this approach is smart. Athletes feel great coming down and going right into completion about 3 days later!
agree. The Colorado Springs pool iis not built by the accident…
the equation is a bit off…its kind a week-for-a-week.
..coming out of three-week training on altitude, it takes about 16-21 days to adjust to the competition altitude level. And mental adjustment coming back to the “normal ordinary life” is a humongous booster. Besides hotel, pool, food, sleep, an athlete can sleep in own bed, live at own residence, see/hang out w/friends, generally – an athlete is not isolated
I think immediate is better. But we shall see in a month
I heard somewhere that the effects were actually very temporary so the shorter the better
Sounds like he’s gonna kill it
*Spider-Man pointing meme*