Watch Daiya Seto’s 4:06.09 400 IM That Ranks Him #5 All-Time

by Robert Gibbs 23

January 25th, 2020 Asia, International, News

2020 KOSUKE KITAJIMA CUP

Japanese star Daiya Seto has been swimming like a man on a mission for the past week or so, putting up three lifetime bests, and rewriting all-time top performances lists, in the 200 fly, 200 IM, and now the 400 IM. Here’s race video from Seto’s 400 IM, a 4:06.09 effort that makes him the 5th-fastest performer in history.

Courtesy of YouTube user Yoshiyuki T

Seto actually was about seven-tenths of a second under world record pace after the fly leg, but fell behind on the backstroke leg. Here’s a quick comparison of Seto’s split to Phelps’ world record splits.

  • Phelps 2008: 54.92/ 1:01.57 / 1:10.56 / 56.79 = 4:03.84
  • Seto 2020: 54.22 / 1:03.46 / 1:09.83 / 58.58 = 4:06.09

Even if the world record proves to be out of reach this summer, Seto would not need to shave much time off his swim to quickly jump up to #3 all-time, as he’s less than two-tenths of a second behind Kosuke Hagino and Chase Kalisz on the all-time list.

Top 5 Men’s 400 IM Performers All-Time

  1. Michael Phelps (USA) 4:03.84, 2008 Olympic Games
  2. Ryan Lochte (USA) 4:05.18, 2012 Olympic Games
  3. Chase Kalisz (USA) 4:05.90, 2017 World Championships
  4. Kosuke Hagino (JPN) 4:06.05, 2016 Olympic Games
  5. Daiya Seto (JPN) 4:06.09, 2020 Kosuke Kitajima Cup

In This Story

23
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

23 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Swimman22
4 years ago

This dude has got to be so aerobically fit, to keep a store rate like that in a 400

Virtus
4 years ago

One up one down on fly breathing 🤢

Wee Lad
4 years ago

So much power and undulation in such a small body compared to these brutes. My hero

DrSwimPhil
4 years ago

If Seto break’s Phelps’s record in Tokyo, he should be given the emperor’s palace and be allowed to rule for eternity

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  DrSwimPhil
4 years ago

Lord Dean won’t allow that to happen ….lol

leisurely1:29
4 years ago

Lane 6’s fly is a thing of beauty

Sqimgod
Reply to  leisurely1:29
4 years ago

His name is yuya yajima

Tm71
4 years ago

Unless he peaked too early he is going to easily win both IMs and be second in the 200 fly

JCO
Reply to  Tm71
4 years ago

He could win the 2 fly as well. With a 1:52 in January, it’s possible he could be 1:50 high in Tokyo, and there’s no guarantee Milak will be faster. If I remember correctly, he said he would be taking some time away from 200 fly training to focus on other events (presumably 100 fly/mid free). Obviously Milak will be hard to beat, but I’d give Seto a fighting chance.

Mr Piano
Reply to  JCO
4 years ago

Let’s not get too far lol. Seto had great swims but he’s surely fully rested for these. He crushed his best times. I hope he does great in Tokyo, but a 1:50 fly is not only very fast, but he’s going to have two 400 ims before that.

Drama King
Reply to  Mr Piano
4 years ago

I can remember Larkin doing crazy fast times in end of 2015 and early 2016, but only to get beaten at Olympics. Hope it won’t be the same for Seto.

iLikePsych
Reply to  Drama King
4 years ago

Honestly I agree. These fast swims remind me of Cate Campbell’s WR, McEvoy’s 100 free textile record swim, and Cseh’s 1:52 fly, all relatively shortly before Rio

Aquajosh
Reply to  Mr Piano
4 years ago

He has zero reason to be fully rested right now. He has his Olympic qualifications secured in the 200 and 400 IM, but the Japan Swim is in April. It is a one-shot meet just like the US Olympic Trials, and he still has to swim a fast enough time there in the 200 fly and get first or second to secure qualification in that event.

Corn Pop
Reply to  JCO
4 years ago

Lets see how the virus goes or there won’t be any games. Other wise yes he is looking great .

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Corn Pop
4 years ago

drop the virus news …..

Corn Pop
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
4 years ago

Tokyo itself has 4 cases flown in direct from Wuhan . Its the most of any city outside of China . Japan is evacuating its citizens . I think that is news specific to the Tokyo

Lane 8
4 years ago

His backstroke looks a bit short and weird sometimes. Could definitely improve there.

Anonymous
4 years ago

So funny to watch Seto’s fly turnover next to the dolphin diver

About Robert Gibbs