Katsuhiro Matsumoto Breaks Japanese Record in 200 Free With 1:45 to Open Kitajima Cup

Photo Courtesy: MIKE LEWIS / ISL

Katsuhiro Matsumoto Breaks Japanese Record in 200 Free With 1:45 to Open Kitajima Cup

The Kitajima Cup opened competition Friday night in Tokyo at the Tatsumi International Swimming Center (home of the 2018 Pan Pacs) with some of Japan’s best on display in the three day meet. Worlds silver medalist Katsuhiro Matsumoto impressed with a national record in the 200 freestyle with a 1:45.13, lowering his own record of 1:45.22 from the 2019 Worlds.

Matsumoto won comfortably ahead of Mano Hidenari (1:48.97). Matsumoto is coming off the ISL where he had the fourth fastest time in the league in the 200 freestyle at 1:41.7 in short course meters. Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, he is a medal favorite in his home country to which Japan has never had an Olympic medalist in this event.

Results

Race video:

In the men’s 100 backstroke, Ryosuke Irie put up a routine 53.31 in winning ahead of Masaki Kaneko (54.56). Irie was a 52.9 in January 2020 before the Olympics were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is right on track in the lead-up to what would be his fourth Games if he is to qualify.

Rising star Shoma Sato was the lone swimmer to break a minute in the 100 breast with a 59.84 as the 19-year-old has emerged as one of the top 200 breaststrokers in the world with his 100 not far behind. Yes, he is still three seconds behind the world record of Adam Peaty but Sato looks to be a star in the making, another in a long line of great Japanese breaststrokers. He won tonight ahead of Fukasawa Yamato (1:00.62).

In the women’s race, it was Reona Aoki touching first at 1:06.94. She made the final at the 2019 Worlds, and is another medal favorite in a wide open field as the 25-year-old is looking to make her Games debut this summer. She won ahead of Miyasaka Kono (1:07.22).

Tomoru Honda won the 200 butterfly final in the absence of reigning Worlds silver medalist Daiya Seto with a 1:55.80, ahead of Nao Horomura (1:56.10) and Yuki Kobori (1:56.87). Honda, who will turn 20 this year, will also be looking to make his first Olympics after putting up the fifth fastest time in the ISL this past season in the 200 fly.

The closest race of the night was the women’s 200 butterfly with Hiroko Makino coming out on top at 2:09.02 ahead of ISL record holder Suzuka Hasegawa (2:09.12) in a minor upset. Hasegawa has emerged as one of the top butterflyers in the world this year, and Makino, who is a year older and did not swim in the ISL has been around the scene for a few years is also looking to make her first Olympics.

Other winners on the night were Rio Shirai in the 100 back (1:00.46) and Chihiro Igarashi in the 200 free (1:57.75).

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