Rikako Ikee Posts World-Leading 100 Fly at Japanese Championships
Two national records fell on night two of the 2018 Japanese National Championships, including a new world-leading time in the women’s 100 fly from Rikako Ikee.
Athletes will try to qualify for the Pan Pacs team in every event on the schedule at this meet, which takes place April 3 to April 8 in Tokyo. This meet will also serve as the selection meet for the Asian Games, Jr. Pan Pacs and the Youth Olympics.
Women’s 800 Free
Yukimi Moriyama dominated the women’s 800 free, winning the event by over five seconds in a final time of 8:31.44.
Kinuko Mochiduki finished second in 8:36.86 and Mayuko Gotou took third with a time of 8:37.63.
Women’s 100 Fly
Seventeen-year-old Rikako Ikee lowered her own Japanese record in the women’s 100 fly not once, but twice yesterday. During semi-finals, Ikee first broke the mark in 56.58. During finals, she lowered her time once again to 56.38 as the fastest time in the world this season.
Yukina Hirayama got her hands to the wall second in 58.32 and third went to Suzuka Hasegawa in 58.49.
Men’s 100 Back
Ryosuke Irie won the national title and secured his spot on the Pan Pacs roster by winning the men’s 100 back in 53.18.
Junya Koga (53.62) and Masaki Kaneko (54.10) finished second and third, respectively.
Men’s 100 Breast
Yasuhiro Koseki was the only swimmer in the field to crack the one-minute barrier in the men’s 100 breast, doing so in a winning time of 59.30.
Hayato Watanabe got to the wall in 1:00.18 for second and Ippei Watanabe swam a time of 1:00.27 for third.
Men’s 50 Fly
Kengo Ida added his own new Japanese national record to the night, doing so in the men’s 50 fly. He erased the old mark of 23.45 with his winning time of 23.40.
Takaya Yasue stopped the lock in 23.69 for second and Syunichi Nakao finished third in 23.75.



