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Japan’s Yui Ohashi won the country’s second gold medal of the night, following in the act of the young superstar Rikako Ikee. Ohashi also swam the number one time in the world in her swim, the 200 IM on Saturday night at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo.
Japan got two on the podium with Ohashi (2:08.16) and Miho Teramura (2:09.86) representing the red and white. Ohashi now has the world’s number one time, moving past American Kathleen Baker from last month’s Nationals (2:08.32).
Ohashi also broke the meet record that Teramura set in the heats. Also under the meet record in the final was Canada’s Sydney Pickrem, who won the silver medal at 2:09.07 breaking her Canadian Record she set at Worlds last year at 2:09.17. Pickrem is now sitting fourth in the world rankings this year with her best time.
Ella Eastin (2:09.90) and Melanie Margalis (2:10.67) finished off the podium in fourth and fifth. If Baker still decides to swim the 200 IM at Worlds, it is likely Margalis will get the second spot in that event with her 2:09.43 from Nationals last month.
The 100 back semi-finals and 200 IM final are on the same day at Worlds, so Baker could elect to focus on the 100 back next year and give up her spot to Eastin. Katinka Hosszu has not attempted that double heats to finals in a World Championships in her career.
Canada’s Kelsey Wog (2:12.08), Peru’s McKenna DeBever (2:18.38) and the Philippine’s Chloe Isleta (2:18.63) also competed in the championship final.
2018 World Rankings:
- Yui Ohashi, JPN, 2:08.16
- Kathleen Baker, USA, 2:08.32
- Kim Seoyeong, KOR, 2:08.61
- Sydney Pickrem, CAN, 2:09.07
- Melanie Margalis, USA, 2:09.43
- Siobhan O’Connor, GBR, 2:09.80
- Miho Teramura, JPN, 2:09.86
- Ella Eastin, USA, 2:09.90
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