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.