TOKYO, Japan, April 16. EARLIER today, the Japanese swimming federation announced a 31-member squad for the world championship team that will compete in Barcelona this summer. Among the highlights include a possible eight-event lineup for Kosuke Hagino and a sixth worlds appearance by Kosuke Kitajima.
Kitajima will only compete in the 400 medley relay, even though he earned automatic selection to compete in the 100 breaststroke by one tenth of a second. Kitajima won the final in 1:00.78, faster than FINA's A standard of 1:00.88. Japan, however, had faster internal standards that Kitajima did not meet, but eased them back when it came time to select relay participants.
Hagino will compete in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, the 200 and 400 freestyles and the 200 and 400 individual medleys. By virtue of making the team in the 100 back and 200 free, he is eligible to race in the 400 medley relay and 800 free relay.
All of Japan's seven individual Olympic medalists from London — including Hagino — will race in Barcelona. Also on the roster is the 200 breast world record holder, Akihiro Yamaguchi. Norimasa Hirai will serve as head coach for the team.
Roster
Individual events, men
Shinri Shioura
Kenta Itoh
Kosuke Hagino
Ayatsugu Hirai
Yosuke Miyamoto
Ryosuke Irie
Ryo Tateishi
Akihiro Yamaguchi
Takeshi Matsuda
Yuki Kobori
Daiya Seto
Individual events, women
Aya Terakawa
Sayaka Akase
Satomi Suzuki
Rie Kaneto
Natsumi Hoshi
Kanako Watanabe
Miho Teramura
Miyu Otsuka
Miho Takahashi
Relays only
Men
Takuro Fujii
Kenji Kobase
Sho Sotodate
Kosuke Kitajima
Women
Haruka Ueda
Miki Uchida
Misaki Yamaguchi
Yayoi Matsumoto
Chihiro Igarashi
Aya Takano
Yasuko Miyamoto