Shin Ohashi Rips World Junior Record in 100 Breaststroke at Japan Swim
The Japan Swim is annually known to produce quick performances, and the first day of the 2026 edition was no different as 17-year-old Shin Ohashi continued to put his breaststroke talent on display. The 17-year-old broke his own world junior record in the 100-meter breaststroke, going 58.67 for a decisive triumph in Tokyo. That effort easily eclipsed Ohashi’s prior standard, the 58.94 he produced in a high school meet last July.
On the way to his mid-58 clocking, Ohashi went out in 27.50 and came home in 31.17, splits that enabled the youngster to prevail by more than a second over the tandem of Reo Okura and Yu Hanaguruma, who touched the wall in matching times of 59.76. Ohashi was the No. 1-ranked 200 breaststroker in the world in 2025, and if his improvement arc is anything similar in the 200 breaststroke, an all-time performance might be on tap later in the meet.
Nothing separated Kazushi Imafuku and Tatsuya Murasa in the men’s 400 freestyle – literally. Imafuku and Murasa shared the victory, thanks to swims of 3:45.84. Murasa had the lead in the closing stages of the race, but Imafuku, better known for his 800 and 1500 work, closed the gap to earn a piece of the title. On the women’s side, the 400 freestyle crown was won by Ichika Kajimoto, who went 4:06.61.
The women’s 200 individual medley featured a one-two finish by Shiho Matsumoto and Mio Narita, with Matsumoto registering a winning time of 2:09. 39 and Narita going 2:10.14. Following a national-record tying mark of 23.06 in the prelims of the 50 butterfly, Shoon Mitsunaga wasn’t quite as swift in the evening, but his 23.16 swim supplied a .06 edge over Tomonubu Gomi. In the women’s 100 butterfly, veteran Rikako Ikee grabbed a comfortable win, going 57.49 to finish well ahead of the 58.32 of Hiroko Makino.
Victories in the 100 backstroke were collected by Rio Shirai (1:00.20) and Hidekazu Takehara (53.66).
