20th UMEMURA CUP
- Saturday, May 17th
- Chukyo University School of Sports Science Umemura Pool
- LCM (50m)
- Results
The 20th Umemura Cup got underway today from Chukyo University and Taku Taniguchi made the most of the pre-World Championships racing opportunity.
Competing in the men’s 50m breaststroke, 23-year-old Taniguchi fired off a new lifetime best and Japanese national record of 26.91.
Taniguchi beat the field by well over a second, with Kamada Nozomi next to the wall in 28.56.
For Taniguchi, his effort erased the former Japanese national standard of 26.94 retired Olympian Yasuhiro Koseki put on the books during the 2018 Mare Nostrum Tour.
Taniguchi’s previous lifetime best rested at the 27.05 notched at the 2023 Japan Open so tonight’s result represents his first-ever foray under the 27-second barrier. His time here also outperformed the 27.18 he put up for gold at the Japan Swim, the meet which represented the nation’s World Championships Trials.
Also at those Trials, Taniguchi qualified for Singapore in the 100m breast, clocking 59.30 to place 2nd behind winner Yamato Fukasawa who hit 59.24.
Tanighuchi now ranks 8th in the world on the season and he’s the 4th-best Asian performer of all time.
2024-2025 LCM Men 50 Breast
SHYMANOVICH
26.37
| 2 | Ivan Kozhakin | RUS | 26.49 | 04/17 |
| 3 | Simone CERASUOLO | ITA | 26.59 | 04/17 |
| 4 | Samuel Williamson | AUS | 26.66 | 02/14 |
| 5 | Nicolo MARTINENGHI | ITA | 26.78 | 04/17 |
| 6 | Sun Jiajun | CHN | 26.85 | 03/19 |
| 7 | Michael Houlie | RSA | 26.90 | 04/12 |
| 8 | Taku Taniguchi | JPN | 26.91 | 05/16 |
| 9 | Denis PETRASHOV | KGZ | 26.94 | 05/02 |
| 10 | Kirill PRIGODA | RUS | 26.98 | 04/17 |
Top 5 Asian Men’s LCM 50 Breaststroke Performers All-Time
- Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 26.20, 2023
- Sun Jiajun (CHN) – 26.61, 2023
- Yan Zibei (CHN) – 26.86, 2019
- Taku Taniguchi (JPN) – 26.91, 2025
- Dongyeol Choi (KOR) – 26.93, 2023
