Paris 2024, Asia Recap Day 2: Japan’s Matsushita Is Youngest 400 IM Medalist Since 1972

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
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2

Day 2 of the 2024 Olympics in Paris brought the final of the men’s 400m IM which meant the host nation’s Leon Marchand made his Games debut.

The 22-year-old former Arizona State University NCAA champion brought the heat, dominating the race from start to finish, culminating in an Olympic Record-setting time of 4:02.95.

Although Japan’s Daiya Seto was a bona fide medal contender, it was Japanese teammate Tomoyuki Matsushita who hit the wall next in a surprising performance.

Matsushita stopped the clock a 4:08.62, a new lifetime best by over a second, to earn the silver ahead of American Carson Foster who bagged bronze in 4:08.66.

Matsushita is just 18 years of age and tonight’s performance checks the 2023 World Junior Championships gold medalist in as the 4th youngest Olympic medalist of all-time in the 400m IM. He is also the youngest medalist in over 40 years.

Youngest 400m IM Olympic Medalists

• Andras Hargitay (HUN) – 16 years, bronze in 1972
• Dick Roth (USA) – 17 years, gold in 1964
• Gary Hall (USA) – 17 years, silver in 1968
• Tomoyuki Matsushita (JPN) – 18 years, silver in 2024

Post-race, Matsushita said, “I had many challenges to overcome in this competition and I am so happy.

“I just tried to enjoy myself in the moment. All I have to say is it was an amazing feeling.” (Kyodo News)

Quick Hits

• Japan’s Daiya Seto finished 7th in the 400m IM in a time of 4:11.78, despite owning a season-best of 4:09.68 from June’s Sette Colli Trophy.
• 17-year-old Mizuki Hirai of Japan touched in a time of 57.19 in her Olympic debut to place 7th in the women’s 100m fly.
• China’s Zhang Yufei followed up her 100m fly silver from Tokyo with bronze tonight, hitting 56.21.
• Katsuhiro Matsumoto of Japan sneaked into tomorrow night’s 200m free final as the 8th seed (1:45.88) while South Korean world champion Hwang Sunwoo placed 9th (1:45.92) and is shockingly out of the final.
• Chinese national record holder Xu Jiayu looked strong in the men’s 100m back semi-finals, grabbing the top seed in 52.02, the 15th-fastest performance in history.
• Despite being the #2 performer of all-time and 2023 world champion, Qin Haiyang of China settled for just 7th place in the men’s 100m breaststroke final (59.50).
• Two Asian swimmers made it into tomorrow night’s women’s 200m free final. Hong Kong’s Olympic silver medalist Siobhan Haughey logged 1:55.51 as the 4th seed while China’s Yang Junxuan posted 1:55.90 as the 5th seed.

Continental & National Records Through Day 2

• 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)

Asian Swimming Medal Table Through Day 2