Japanese International Swimming Competitions Selection Trial: Ryosuke Irie Posts Textile Best, Two More National Record Fall

HAMAMATSU, Japan, April 10. IN what is quickly becoming one of the fastest meets this championship season, the Japanese International Swimming Competitions Selection Trial taking place in Hamamatsu produced a textile best and two more national records.

Ryosuke Irie ascended the top of the world rankings in the men's 200 back with a triumphant 1:54.08. He crushed the previous top time of 1:56.34 set by Zhang Fenglin in China, and beat the previous textile best time in the event of 1:54.12 clocked by Ryan Lochte at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships. Kazuki Watanabe earned second in 1:57.21, while Hayate Matubara posted a third-place 1:58.57.

Yuya Horihata nearly cleared the national record in the men's 400 IM with a sterling time of 4:12.28. That swim pushed Horihata to second in the world rankings behind only Wang Chengxiang's 4:11.89. Daiya Seto took a distant second in 4:16.42, while Hiromasa Fujimori finished third in 4:17.26.

Shiho Sakai picked up third in the world rankings with a winning 2:07.98 in the women's 200 back. Only Belinda Hocking (2:06.88) and Missy Franklin (2:07.96) have been faster this year. Aya Terakawa finished second in 2:09.37, while Marie Kamimura wound up third in 2:10.47.

Yuka Katou bettered the Japanese standard in the women's 50 fly with a triumphant time of 26.07. That effort downed her prelim effort of 26.25, which in turn lowered her 2008 performance of 26.34. Rino Hosoda (26.99) and Misaki Agou (27.22) completed the podium.

Satomi Suzuki nipped the women's 50 breast national record by the slimmest of margins with a winning 31.40. That effort beat the previous mark of 31.41 shared by Nanaka Tamura and Hitomi Nose since 2009. Miku Kanasashi touched second in 32.04, while Mina Matsushima finished third in 32.17.

Hiromasa Sakimoto (27.86) and Ryo Tateishi (27.90) moved to fifth and sixth in the world rankings with a top-two finish in the men's 50 breast. Kouichirou Okazaki earned third in 28.26.

Takeshi Matsuda turned in a 3:46.90 to win the men's 400 free title, and move up to sixth in the world rankings. Syo Uchida placed second in 3:50.87, while Fumiya Hidaka grabbed third in 3:51.54.

Miyu Ohtsuka downed the national high school record in the women's 400 IM with an eighth-ranked time of 4:39.5. Izumi Katou finished second in 4:41.90, while Kyouka Suenaga wound up third in 4:43.20.

Masayuki Kishida snared ninth in the world rankings with a 23.82 to win the men's 50 fly. Kouhei Kawamoto took second in 23.91, while Ryo Takayasu wound up third in 23.92.

Haruka Ueda jumped to 11th in the world rankings in the women's 100 free with a winning 54.52, just missing the Japanese record of 54.43. Yayoi Matsumoto took second in 54.89, while Hanae Ito finished third in 55.29

Takuro Fujii won the men's 100 free in 48.95 to move to 13th in the world rankings. Kenji Kobase touched second in 49.54, while Shinri Shioura picked up third in 49.78.

Aya Takano hit the wall in 4:13.48 to win the women's 400 free, while Yumi Kida placed second in 4:13.90. Yurie Yano rounded out the top three in 4:14.35.

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