Paris 2024, Asia Recap Day 6: 33-Yr-Old Satomi Suzuki Makes Japanese History

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

• Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
  • Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
• La Défense Arena — Paris, France
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Full Swimming Schedule
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Pick ’em Contest
• How To Watch
• Entry Lists
• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

Satomi Suzuki of Japan raced in the final of tonight’s women’s 200m breaststroke event, placing 4th in a time of 2:22.54. Her appearance in the race was remarkable on two fronts.

First, at 33 years of age, Suzuki overtook Olympic medalist Takeshi Matsuda as the oldest Japanese swimmer to compete at a Games. Matsuda was 32 when he raced 8 years ago in Rio.

Second, tonight marked 12 years since Suzuki’s first and only other Olympic final. Racing at the London Olympics in 2012, Suzuki claimed 100m breaststroke bronze, 200m breaststroke silver and bronze in the women’s 4x100m medley relay.

Although Suzuki missed the podium tonight behind winner Kate Douglass of the United States, runner-up Tatjana Smith of South Africa and bronze medalist Tes Schouten of the Netherlands, her achievement of just having a lane is a testament to perseverance

After a successful London, Suzuki missed making the breaststroke event finals 4 years later in Rio. She then missed making the Tokyo team altogether but stuck at it and nearly made her career come full circle.

Quick Hits

• Zhang Yufei of China was downgraded from 200m fly gold in Tokyo to silver this time around, finishing in a time of 2:05.09 behind winner Summer McIntosh of Canada. Tonight’s performance marked Zhang’s 3rd medal of these Games after securing 100m fly bronze and women’s 4x100m free relay bronze.
• Double IM champion from Rio Ye Shiwen of China settled into 6th place in tonight’s women’s 200m breaststroke (2:24.31).
• The women’s 200m back saw Chinese athlete Peng Xuwei captured the 4th seed for tomorrow night’s final in 2:07.86.
• Japan’s Daiya Seto is right in the mix of the men’s 200m IM, securing the 5th seed for the main event tomorrow in 1:56.59.

Continental & National Records Through Day 6

• Yang Junxuan (CHN) – national record in women’s 100m free (52.48)
• Chinese Women’s 4x100m free relay – national record & Asian record (3:30.30)
• Gan Ching Hwee (SGP) – national record in women’s 1500m free (16:10.13)
• Kayla Sanchez (PHI) – national record in women’s 100m free (53.67)
• Pan Zhanle (CHN) – national record & Asian record & world record in 100m free (46.40)

Asian Swimming Medal Table Through Day 6