Katsuhiro Matsumoto Lowers His Own 200 FR Japanese Record to 1:41.29 in Prelims

2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 13 to Sunday, December 18, 2022
• Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre, Melbourne, Australia
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Katsuhiro Matsumoto lowered his own Japanese record in the 200 freestyle with a 1:41.29 in prelims, qualifying second for tonight’s final behind Tom Dean (1:40.98).

Matsumoto shaved a few tenths off his previous mark of 1:41.67 from the Japanese SC National Championships this past October. The 25-year-old will have to hold off a fast field featuring Maxime Grousset, David Popovici, and reigning champion Hwang Sunwoo in order to secure his first career individual medal at Short Course Worlds.

MEN’S 200 FREE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann (GER), 2009
• World Junior Record: 1:40.65 – Matt Sates (RSA), 2021
• Championship Record: 1:40.95 – Danas Rapsys (LTU), 2018
• 2021 Champion: 1:41.60, Hwang Sunwoo (KOR)

Top 8:

1. Tom Dean (GBR) – 1:40.98
2. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN) – 1:41.29
3. Maxime Grousset (FRA) – 1:41.79
4. Drew Kibler (USA) – 1:41.88
5. Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 1:42.21
6. David Popovici (ROU) – 1:42.31
7. Tommy Neill (AUS) – 1:42.38
8. Hwang Sunwoo (KOR) – 1:42.54

Sunwoo broke the 200 free Asian record with his 1:40.99 relay leadoff for South Korea’s 4×200 free relay team on the fourth day of the meet. Matsumoto might have to go sub-1:41 tonight in order to make the podium.

Matsumoto now owns the eight fastest times in Japanese history. Th next-fastest performer is Kosuke Hagino (1:42.51 from 2014).

As Matsumoto’s splits show below, he swam a pretty consistent race, never splitting slower than 13.16 on any length of the pool.

Splits