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Matsuda Strong; Tateishi Takes Kitajima

Apr 13, 2010  - Craig Lord

Japan Nationals are underway at the Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center and in the first session of finals Takeshi Matsuda won his seventh consecutive title in 3:46.59, 1.60 seconds off his own national mark but second on the early 2010 world rankings. Tae Hwan Park, Olympic champion from South Korea, heads the world top 10 list so far this season as the first man inside 3:46.

Quadruple Olympic breaststroke champion Kosuke Kitajima found himself demoted to silver in the 50m breaststroke, with Ryo Tateishi, 20, taking the crown 0.05sec aahead of him on 27.66. That marked Kitajima's first appearance at nationals for two years. In prelims, the Olympic 100m and 200m champion os 2004 and 2008 set a national record of 27.30, trimming 0.13sec off the previous national mark set by Yuki Honda at the Rome 2009 circus. However, Kitajima could not follow through in the final.

''The race was over in a flash. I was spinning on empty in the final. I had a good record in the heats and I think I tried too much to do better in the final,'' Kitajima told Kyodo. ''I have to regroup for the 100- and 200-meter races."  Kitajima's best had been 27.65 from early 2008 in textile. Tateishi's best is a 27.47 from last year.

Satomi Suzuki, national record in the women's 100 breaststroke, claimed the 50m crown in 31.70, and Maiko Fujino claimed the 400m free title in 4:13.14.

The Japan national championships double as a qualifier for the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, in August and the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, in November.

Results at a glance:

  • Men
  • 400m freestyle: 1. Takeshi Matsuda 3min 46.59sec; 2. Sho Uchida 3:49.30; 3. Junpei Higashi 3:52.43
  • 50m breaststroke:  1. Ryo Tateishi 27.66; 2. Kosuke Kitajima 27.71; 3. Yuta Suenaga 27.86
  • Women
  • 400m freestyle: 1. Maiko Fujino 4:13.14; 2. Yurie Yano 4:13.88; 3. Kazuki Wakanami 4:14.35
  • 50m breaststroke:  1. Satomi Suzuki 31.70; 2. Mina Matsushima 31.83; 3. Fumiko Kawanabe 31.91