Ippei Watanabe Unloads 2:07.08 Mark in 200 Breaststroke at Japan Swim
The final day of the Japan Swim wrapped up on Sunday with a stellar showdown in the men’s 200 breaststroke, as Ippei Watanabe and Shoma Sato both dipped under the 2:08 barrier. Trailing Sato through the first half of the race, Watanabe put together a stronger back half and emerged with the victory in 2:07.08, with Sato checking in at 2:07.69.
Most weekends, Watanabe’s effort would have been the talk of the event around the world, but it was actually the second-fastest of the past few days. At the Rotterdam Qualification Meet, Dutchman Arno Kamminga put down a career-best of 2:06.85, making him just the fourth man in history to go under 2:07. Finishing in third in Tokyo was Ryuyu Mura, who produced a mark of 2:08.15. Watanabe and Sato, if they negotiate qualifying, figure to be medal contenders in the 200 breast at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. The event is quickly becoming one of the deepest on the international scene, with Russian Anton Chupkov the current favorite,
Three men went under the 52-second barrier in the 100 butterfly, with Katsuhiro Matsumoto coming out on top in 51.66. He was followed by Naoki Mizunuma (51.80) and Takeshi Kawamoto (51.83). Longtime Japanese National Team member Kanako Watanabe cruised to victory in the women’s 200 breaststroke in 2:23.15.
Veteran Ryosuke Irie backed up his earlier win in the 100 backstroke with a triumph in the 200 backstroke, a time of 1:55.55. getting the job done. In the women’s 100 butterfly, Ai Soma clocked 58.47 to hold off Suzuka Hasegawa, who went 58.74. Shinri Shioura was the lone man under 22 seconds in the 50 freestyle, as he prevailed in 21.96.