2024 KOSUKE KITAJIMA CUP
- Friday, January 19th – Sunday, January 21
- Tokyo Aquatic Center
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Day 1 Recap
- Results
- Livestream
The 2024 Kosuke Kitajima Cup entered ay two at Tokyo Aquatic Center, site of the swimming action at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Double Olympic champion Yui Ohashi was in the water, contesting the women’s 400m IM this evening.
The 28-year-old got to the wall first, establishing a gold medal-worthy time of 4:39.25. Waka Kobori snagged the silver in 4:40.72 while Ageha Tanigawa rounded out the podium in 4:42.36. Of note, World Championships racer Mio Narita wound up 5th in 4:45.36.
For Ohashi, this podium-topping result is a big confidence boost after the veteran has been in a slump since her Olympic achievements. She’s seen Tanigawa and Narita beat her at domestic meets and Ohashi’s only event in Fukuoka was the 200m IM where she placed 6th.
Post-race this evening, Ohashi told Asian media, “I’m happy to be standing in the middle of the podium for the first time in a while. I honestly couldn’t help but smile.” (Daily Japan)
Ohashi owns a lifetime best and the Japanese national record at the 4:30.82 she produced at the 2018 Japan Swim. She won Olympic gold in 4:32.08.
In 2022, Ohashi ranked 3rd among Japanese racers with a time of 4:37.99 behind leader Tanigawa’s 4:36.45 and Narita’s 4:36.45. Last year, Ohashi’s best checked in at 4:39.08 to rank 4th among her nation’s performers.
The Japanese Swimming Federation (JASF) set the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying standard at 4:38.53, a mark which must be achieved while also finishing among the top 2 at the Trials set for March. Although Ohashi has proven she can reach that standard on the clock, her battle will be beating out the competition to make the squad.
In the men’s 400m IM, it was Kaito Tabuchi who touched first, turning in a time of 4:13.04. That got the edge over Tomoru Honda, last night’s 200m fly victor, who settled for silver in 4:13.39. Genki Terakado bagged bronze in 4:14.03.
At last month’s Japan Open, Honda put up a new lifetime best in this event, clocking 4:09.98 to dip under the 4:10 barrier for the first time in his career.
Tonight, Honda held over a 2-second advantage through the halfway mark but split 1:13.21 on breaststroke to Tabuchi’s 1:11.54 to make it a battle through the final freestyle leg. Honda said after the race that ‘his whole body hurt’.
Nagisa Ikemoto doubled up on her gold in the 100m free from night one with another win the 100m free.
Ikemoto stopped the clock in 54.83 (26.80/28.03) while Shiho Matsumoto and Runa Imai tried to chase her down. Matsumoto ultimately touched in 55.40 while Imai earned bronze in 55.40.
Ikemoto has been as quick as 54.27 this season, a result she posted to place 4th at last year’s Asian Games.
The men’s 100m free saw Katsuhiro Matsumoto power his way to the wall in a time of 48.62. He opened in 23.56 and closed in 25.06 to clear the field in the only time under the 49-second barrier.
Behind him was Katsumi Nakamura who turned in 49.44 while Kaiya Seki rounded out the top 3 just .01 away from silver in 49.45.
Matsumoto placed 5th in the men’s 100m free at last year’s Asian Games, hitting a time there in Hangzhou of 48.72. He owns the Japanese national record in this event with his lifetime best of 47.85 nailed at the 2023 Japan Swim.
The JASF-mandated qualification time for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is situated at 47.97 for March’s Trials.
Additional Notes
- Chiaki Yamamoto produced a time of 2:10.64 to win the women’s 200m back by nearly a second. Her season-best remains at the 2:10.13 notched at last year’s National Games.
- The women’s 400m free saw Kobori nail the victory in 4:10.34, getting to the wall over 2 seconds ahead of the competition. Her time established a new meet record while she also raced in the aforementioned 400m IM this session.
- Ikki Imoto topped the men’s 400m free podium in 3:49.12, the sole time of the field under the 3:50 barrier.
- The men’s 200m back saw Shuichi Takehara take the gold in 1:57.40. Ryosuke Irie finished 5th in 1:59.54 after earning silver in last night’s 100m back. Irie said after tonight’s performance, “I knew I wasn’t feeling well, so I accepted that and didn’t run away from it. I didn’t have any confidence, and it felt like I was going to lose. There’s a part of me that feels relieved after losing here. I want to continue playing as a chaser.” (Sponichi)
