Tomoru Honda Destroys World Record in 200 Butterfly at Japan Short Course Champs

Tomoru Honda Destroys World Record in 200 Butterfly at Japan Short Course Champs

By Hideki Mochizuki

Tomoru Honda, the men’s 200-meter butterfly bronze medalist from this year’s World Championships in Budapest, smashed the short-course world record in the event today with time of 1:46.85. Honda was racing on the first day of the Japan Short Course National Championship at Tokyo’s Tatsumi International Swimming Center. The previous record belonged to Daiya Seto at 1:48.24, meaning Honda sliced 1.39 seconds off the standard.

Honda’s splits for the new record were: 24.29, 51.39, 1:18.83, 1:46.85.

Honda led the way from start and was elated with the effort.

“I really wanted to get the world record in this race and am super happy to get 1:46,” he said. “My aim was to go out fast and endure till the finish which I could. World Short Course is coming up in a few months, so this will be really good confidence inside me boosting.”

Honda has been on a roll in the 200 butterfly, as he was the silver medalist in the 200 butterfly at the Tokyo Olympics, where he clocked a time of 1:53.73. His performances have generated positivity moving toward the next Olympics.

“I am definitely looking at a better medal color at Paris 2024, “ Honda said right after the race.

In other action, Katsuhiro Matsumoto set a Japanese record in the 200 freestyle with a mark of 1:41.67 while another national standard was set by Reona Aoki in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.01). Veteran Ryosuke Irie was the winner of the 50 backstroke (23.25). Seto prevailed in the 400 individual medley and Yui Ohashi claimed the title in the 100 medley.

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