Performance of the Week: August 28, 2012

PHOENIX, Arizona, August 28. A lot of torches have been passed to the younger generation in the pool in the past month, to swimmers such as Missy Franklin, Chad Le Clos and Katie Ledecky. And in Japan, the impressive stable of breaststrokers saw a threat to their dominance when a promising 18-year-old took to the pool this month.

Akihiro Yamaguchi first turned heads at the Japan Inter-high school championships, where he posted a 2:07.8 in the 200 breast, a time that would have won the bronze medal at the Olympics. Then last weekend at the junior Pan Pacific championships, Yamaguchi made a run at the world record, but fell less than a second short with a 2:08.03, a time that would still have gotten third at the Olympics. The time almost broke Eric Shanteau's US Open record, a record that indicates the fastest swim in that event done in the 50 United States, regardless of nationality.

Yamaguchi has a promising future ahead of him, though the pacing of his races needs work. His second and fourth 50s at the junior Pan Pacs were under 33 seconds, but he slowed down to 33.3 on the third 50, a pace that put him further off world record splits. But he's young, and could be a major contender for gold at next summer's world championships, provided he can qualify ahead of Kosuke Kitajima and Ryo Tateishi, both of whom have not announced their retirements.

Congratulations, Akihiro Yamaguchi. You have earned our Performance of the Week!

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