Daiya Seto Puts Up 4:09 400 IM at Japan Open

Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

Daiya Seto Puts Up 4:09 400 IM at Japan Open

With seven weeks left until the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, many of Japan’s best are in action this weekend at the Chiba International General Swimming Center in Chiba. Reigning World champ Daiya Seto had the best swim of the day with a 4:09.88 in the 400 IM, not far off his season best of 4:09.02 from earlier this year as he leads the world rankings.

Results

Seto is one of Japan’s gold medal hopes for the upcoming Olympics in the 200 and 400 IM as he won this race Thursday over Tomoru Honda (4:14.89) and Kaito Tabuchi (4:14.96) as neither of them will race this in Tokyo, with the second spot going to Yuki Ikari back from his performance in April. Seto is one of just two men to break 4:10 this year with the other being New Zealand’s Lewis Clareburt and will be the gold medal favorite come Tokyo.

Shoma Sato, another of Japan’s gold medal favorites for Tokyo, albeit in the 200, swam a 59.76 in the 100 breast in a nice warm-up for the 200 later in the week. Sato has already been a 59.1 this season that puts him eighth on the list of swimmers that have gotten under the A cut this year. Although Sato has hinted at only focusing on the 200 for Tokyo, he may end up being the breaststroker on Japan’s medley relays come the Games. He was the only swimmer tonight to break 1:00 as Kaede Hirakawa and Yu Hanaguruma tied for second at 1:00.50.

Katsuhiro Matsumoto won the men’s 100 freestyle with a 48.47 ahead of Katsumi Nakamura (48.56) as they both got under the FINA A standard, although it appears only Nakamura will race the 100 in Tokyo with Matsumoto focusing only on the 200 free, where he has a shot to win the gold medal. Japan will be sending a 4×100 free relay team where a spot in the final could be up for grabs for this team as Akira Namba (49.39) finished third place here and will be on the team for a home Olympics.

In the women’s 400 free, Miyu Namba won with a 4:08.42 ahead of Waka Kobori (4:10.45) as both have already been 4:06’s this year and will be racing the 400 in Tokyo. They sit eighth and ninth respectively among the athletes that have qualified for Tokyo, excluding those from the United States, Australia and Canada.

Kanako Watanabe won the 100 breaststroke with a 1:07.20 ahead of Reona Aoki (1:07.30) as those two will be the two representatives for Japan in this event as they sit 11th and 12th respectively in the world rankings among those that have secured spots to Tokyo. Both have been 1:06’s this year and have outside medal shots to make the podium. Miho Teramura, who will swim the 200 IM in Tokyo, was third at 1:07.75.

In non-Olympic action, Ai Soma (25.83) and Naoki Mizunuma (23.32) won the 50 butterfly finals at the Japan Open.

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