102nd JAPAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, June 4th – Sunday, June 7th
- Tokyo Aquatics Centre
- LCM (50m)
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The 102nd Japan Swimming Championships saw action get underway today from the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, with swimmers vying for potential remaining slots on the nation’s roster for this year’s Pan Pacific Championships.
One of the racing highlights of the evening came in the men’s 100m breaststroke final, where five athletes managed to dip under the minute barrier on their quest to get to the podium.
Touching first was 20-year-old Yamato Okadome, the Cal Bear who scorched a new lifetime best en route to gold.
Okadome fired off a mark of 59.11 to narrowly defeat 17-year-old prodigy Shin Ohashi, with the two-time World Junior record holder Ohashi settling for silver just .07 behind in 59.18.
Taku Taniguchi secured the bronze in 59.41, while Reo Okura and Yusei Imaizumi also cleared the minute threshold as they tied for 4th place in 59.90.
Entering this competition, Okadome’s lifetime best in this event rested at the 1:00.21 he established while competing at last year’s French Elite Championships. At last week’s Pro Swim, he turned in a within-range result of 1:00.38.
Tonight, however, he scorched splits of 28.09/31.02 to nab the victory, shredding that former PB to bits on his way to becoming the 4th-best Japanese performer in history.
Top 5 Japanese Men’s LCM 100 Breaststroke Performers
- Shin Ohashi – 58.67, 2026
- Yasuhiro Koseki – 58.78, 2018
- Kosuke Kitajima – 58.90, 2012
- Yamato Okadome – 59.11, 2026
- Shoma Sato – 59.18, 2021
Okadome set the stage with a speedy time of 59.44 (28.28/31.16), his first-ever foray into the 59-second zone to snag the top seed.
He reportedly sent a video of his performance to his Cal coach, asking for feedback on areas for improvement heading into the medal-contending main event.
After the race, Okadome told Asian media, “I was able to swim calmly from 60 to 75 meters, and use my energy well so that I could swim my own style in the last 25 meters.”
He also described his training regime in the United States, saying ‘he focuses on weight training and swims six times a week in a 25-yard short course pool and three times a week in a long course pool.’
Per Hochi News, Okadome has gained 10 kilograms (~22 pounds) since leaving Japan.
“In Japan, weight training is not as focused as in America. That’s where I had an advantage,” he said.
Cal’s Josh Huger confirmed to SwimSwam that Okadome moves between the squad’s training groups fairly fluidly. He trains primarily with head coach Dave Durden, though Huger says that he sometimes shifts over into Noah Yanchulis‘ group for mid distance work.
At this year’s NCAA Championships, Okadome swept the 100y breaststroke (49.90) and 200y breaststroke (1:48.61) events.
I expected as much, since swimmers are still in their training blocks gearing up to their taper meets in the summer, but it was a slow Day 1 considering its Japan Nationals.
Now he doesn’t need to prove anything to his doubters during NCAA championship.
He said when he started at Cal that he wanted to make it possible for more Japanese swimmers to view the NCAA as a viable option where they could excel. These are the kind of swims that will do that.
Its a bummer he can’t swim at Pan Pacs this summer cuz the NCAAs and the Japan Nationals were close to each other, but I can’t wait to see his progression leading up to LA28 where he enters a deep and competitive pool of breaststrokers led by Shin Ohashi.
Yamato swims with Yanchulis? Huh?
Probably doing 200 work? I think most of the 200 stroke athletes at Cal work with Yanchulis in some capacity
I was under the impression Yanchulis is distance swimmers and 400 IMers, Durden is middle distance and Huger is the sprint group.
There’s not many 200 specialists on the men’s side, but I think Mia West and a few of the women’s 200 stroke specialists train with Yanchulis at least part time? I’ve seen a few photos of his group with them in them on social media
I think I’ve seen those same photos. Gabriel Jett also talked about spending time with Yanchulis, especially at the start of his last collegiate season. I guess I’m just kinda wondering what the Cal setup looks like on a daily basis.
Yes, this is how Huger described the setup.
Braden, do you know which groups Dave Durden works with primarily? I assume he’s kinda all over the place being the director and having both men and women under him now.
He’s been coaching primarily sprint for the past year or so I think. Was Huger before that
Interesting. So is Huger the one bouncing around all 3 groups then?
Sort of unrelated but I feel like shin ohashi is always getting out-touched
being 5’6 has it’s disadvantages
Dave Durden is doing SOMETHING right.
Honestly if you want success at the college level Durden might be your guy. He’s just proven time and time again to be the best athlete developer in the country.
he’s shown that he can effectively train almost any stroke at any distance
Looks like the bathtub training is paying off!