Tough Decision Pays Off For Daiya Seto at Japanese Champs; Katsuhiro Matsumoto Blasts National Record
A difficult decision faced Daiya Seto on the third day of the Japanese Championships, which also serve as the qualifying competition for this summer’s World Champs in Fukuoka. Seto was faced with tackling both the 200-meter individual medley and 200 butterfly, or bypassing one of his prime events.
Ultimately, Seto chose to place an emphasis on the 200 medley, which he won in 1:56.62 to beat So Ogata (1:57.52) by nearly a second. Seto is highly decorated in the medley events during his career, including a world title in the 200 IM in 2019 and a bronze medal at last year’s World Champs in Budapest.
While Seto was absent in the 200 butterfly, that didn’t mean the event lacked firepower, with Tomoru Honda producing an impressive performance of 1:53.34 to take top honors. Honda will rate among the top contenders for a podium position at the upcoming World Champs and will be joined as a Japanese representative by Teppei Morimoto, who clocked in at 1:54.74. Takumi Terada finished just behind Morimoto, on the strength of a 1:54.81 effort.
Best known for his prowess in the 200 freestyle, Katsuhiro Matsumoto dropped down to half that distance and popped a national record of 47.75 in the 100 freestyle. Matsumoto was coming off a sub-1:45 triumph in the 200 free and showed he also possesses high-quality speed. Matsumoto was out in 22.96 and came home in 24.79 to book a second event at Worlds.
In the women’s 200 butterfly, Airi Mtsui comfortably topped the field with a mark of 2:06.77, with Hiroko Makino following in 2:07.45.
Other winners included:
Women’s 1500 Freestyle: Yukimi Moriyama (16:18.24)
Women’s 200 Freestyle: Rio Shirai (1:57.44)
Women’s 50 Backstroke: Miki Takahashi (28.22)