Daiya Seto Rattles 400 IM SCM World Record in Japan

Daiya Seto nearly broke Ryan Lochte's 400 IM WR in SCM. Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

Japan’s Daiya Seto rattled Ryan Lochte’s short course meters world record in the 400 IM on Saturday at the Japanese Short Course Championships. Seto swam a 3:55.53 to get within 0.03 of Lochte’s world record of 3:55.50 from the 2010 World Championships. Seto remains second all-time as he lowered his own Japanese and Asian record of 3:56.33 from the 2014 Worlds. He won the final by over ten seconds.

Ippei Miyamoto came home in 4:05.71 for silver, Yuki Ikari in 4:05.79 for bronze.

Daiya Seto’s splits:

24.33
52.63
1:22.60
1:52.25
2:25.38
2:59.43
3:27.83
3:55.53

Ryan Lochte’s splits:

25.05
54.62
1:24.51
1:53.73
2:27.28
3:01.14
3:28.83
3:55.50

Seto really pushed the front half of the race, pacing himself two seconds of Lochte’s world record pace, jumping out to a 52.6 on the butterfly. But the Japanese ace could not quite put together a world record setting freestyle leg as Lochte out-split him by two seconds from his swim nearly a decade ago.

Daiya Seto is coming off a great summer where he won two world titles in the 200 and 400 IM, ending the Americans’ long gold medal streak in the 200. If he continues with this momentum, he will be a huge favorite next summer at the Olympic Games in both IM’s as he will be a fan favorite for the Tokyo crowd. Seto, 25, will be swimming in his second Olympics next summer as he won the bronze in Rio in the 400 IM last time around.

He will also be a favorite to win a medal in the 200 butterfly next summer as he won the silver at the World Championships in that event this summer.

Seto was featured as the cover athlete for Swimming World’s October issue this year.

All-Time Top Ten:

3:55.50, Ryan Lochte, USA (2010)
3:55.53, Daiya Seto, JPN (2019)
3:57.27, Laszlo Cseh, HUN (2009)
3:57.40, Ous Mellouli, TUN (2010)
3:57.56, Tyler Clary, USA (2010)
3:57.91, Thomas Fraser-Holmes, AUS (2015)
3:58.28, Kosuke Hagino, JPN (2014)
3:59.23, Chad Le Clos, RSA (2013)
3:59.47, Peter Bernek, HUN (2017)
3:59.90, Conor Dwyer, USA (2013)

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Tucker Rivera

4 years ago

Seto took it out so fast ?

Cali Ahmed

4 years ago

Congrats???‍♂️??????

Thomas A. Small

4 years ago

Congratulations great job