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Tomoyuki Matsushita was the sole Japanese medalist at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, when he earned silver in the men’s 400m IM.
Since then, the now-20-year-old has continued his momentum, claiming another 400m IM silver at this year’s World Championships.
Flashforward to September and the Norimasa Hirai-trained star improved upon his personal best in the grueling event, clocking 4:07.21 at September’s Japanese Student Championships.
But the ace has also been making strides in the 200m IM, as evidenced by a video recently taken by Coach Hirai.
Suited and from a dive, Matsushita ripped a time in the 1:55-zone during a practice session in his native Japan. This writer clocked a mark of 1:55.74 based on the footage, a result which would rank him as the 3rd-swiftest Japanese performer of all time.
His practice performance would represent his first-ever foray under the 1:56 barrier, overtaking the 1:56.80 he notched at this year’s World Championship Trials. He would go on to place 6th in the Singapore final in a time of 1:57.52.
Top 5 Japanese Men’s LCM 200 IM Performers All-Time
- Kosuke Hagino – 1:55.07, 2016
- Daiya Seto – 1:55.55, 2020
- Tomoyuki Matsushita – 1:55.74, 2025 *unofficial
- Kosuke Makino – 1:56.80, 2025
- So Ogata – 1:57.06, 2023
Although unofficial, Matsushita’s rough 1:55.74 time would rank him #1 in the world at the moment and, at last year’s Olympics, would have rendered him the 2IM bronze medalist.
