Mori, Nishikori Set Asian Marks as Japanese Nationals Wind Down -- April 29, 2003

By Hideki Mochizuki and Takahisa Ide

JAPAN, April 27. THE 79th Japanese National Swimming Championships ended with a bang today as Takahiro Mori broke the Asian record in the men's 400m individual medley with a strong 4:15.29 effort.

The old mark was set just last October at the Asian Games by China's 15 year-old sensation, Wu Peng. Mori earlier won the 200 IM in 2:00.64, just off his own standard of 2:00.53.

The 200 meter fly finals saw some fast swimming. On the women's side, Yuko Nakanishi clocked 2:08.39 for an easy win. Her time was just off Maki Mita's national record of 2:08.13.

Takashi Yamamoto had little difficulty taking the men's race with his 1:56.88, despite the fact that he qualified fifth in prelims that saw the top five men dip under 1:59.

There were two national records in the 50m back. Comebacking Mai Nakamura lowered the women's one-lap sprint to 28.63 seconds before winning the final in 28.72. For the men, Atsushi Nishikori won in a national record 25.72 to notch his second Japanese mark of the meet. Earlier he swam a record 54.54 in the semifinals of the 100 back, only to fall to
Tomomi Morita in the final.

Maiko Fujino won the 400 IM in a PR 4:44.90. Earlier she took the shorter medley.


RESULTS

MEN
50 METRES FREESTYLE
1 22.93 Yamanoi Tomohiro,77,JPN
2 23.03 Ito Syunsuke,76,JPN
3 23.37 Hoshida Yu,82,JPN

50 METRES BACKSTROKE
1 25.72* Nishikori Atsushi,78,JPN
2 26.01 Wakabayashi Mizuki,81,JPN
3 26.07 Morita Tomomi,84,JPN

50 METRES BUTTERFLY
1 24.39 Takayasu Ryo,81,JPN
2 24.44 Yamamoto Takashi,78,JPN
3 24.62 Kawamoto Kohei,79,JPN

200 METRES BUTTERFLY
1 1:56.88 Yamamoto Takashi,78,JPN
2 1:58.24 Usuta Kentaro,83,JPN
3 1:58.90 Matsuda Takashi,84,JPN

400 METRES IND.MEDLEY
1 4:15.29*Mori Takahiro,80,JPN
2 4:18.57 Yoshii Jyun,82,JPN
3 4:20.13 Shoji Yuta,84,JPN


WOMEN

50 METRES FREESTYLE
1 26.10 Urata Nanami,84,JPN
2 26.13 Yamada Kaori,81,JPN
3 26.16 Nakamura Tomomi,88,JPN

50 METRES BACKSTROKE
1 28.72 Nakamura Mai,79,JPN
2 28.98 Inada Noriko,78,JPN
3 29.15 Ito Hanae,85,JPN

50 METRES BUTTERFLY
1 27.42 Onishi Junko,74,JPN
2 27.80 Nakanishi Yuko,81,JPN
3 27.90 Doi Ayako,80,JPN

200 METRES BUTTERFLY
1 2:08.39 Nakanishi Yuko,81,JPN
2 2:10.95 Osada Yukiko,81,JPN
3 2:11.80 Yano Yurie,88,JPN

400 METRES IND.MEDLEY
1 4:44.90 Fujino Maiko,83,JPN
2 4:47.51 Fujita Sawami,84,JPN
3 4:47.76 Sato Ayane,82,JPN

*: National Record