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

2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

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

Distance Split
25 11.06
50 12.40
75 12.78
100 12.93
125 13.12
150 12.96
175 13.16
200 12.88
Total 1:41.29

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Landen
1 year ago

What a stud

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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