Note: This website was automatically translated, so some terms or nuances may not be completely accurate.
"2018 Japan Para Swimming Championships" Record-breaking performances continue
The 2018 Japan Para Swimming Championships (FINA World Para Swimming Federation-certified, hosted by the Japan Sports Association for Persons with Disabilities), the premier domestic para swimming event, was held over three days from September 22 to 24 at the Yokohama International Pool.
Approximately 400 athletes participated in the event, with the Tokyo Paralympics just two years away.
setting a total of 307 new records, including tournament records, Japanese records, and Asian records.
Forty-one international swimmers entered, including top athletes like Canada's Aurélie Rivard (three gold medals in the women's 50m, 100m, and 400m freestyle at the Rio Paralympics), USA's Mackenzie Corn (also a triple gold medalist), and Australia's Daniel Fox (bronze medalist in the men's 200m freestyle).
For Japanese athletes preparing for the Asian Para Games in October, this serves as both a final international competition and a send-off event.
Para swimming is a sport open to athletes with various disabilities, including physical, visual, and intellectual impairments. It features unique rules: athletes who find the flying start difficult can start from the water; for visually impaired swimmers, a support coach must use a long stick to tap their head or forehead as a signal ("tapping") to prevent collision with the pool wall. Additionally, events are contested in classes based on the degree of disability within the same event.
For Japan, Rio Paralympic silver medalist Keiichi Kimura won the men's 50m freestyle. Sakura Koike set a new Asian record in the women's 100m breaststroke, while Tomotaro Nakamura did the same in the men's 100m breaststroke.
Furthermore, in the women's 100-meter breaststroke, three athletes—Miki Kamata, Ayano Tsujii, and Mikika Serizawa—each set new Japanese records in their respective classes.
Mei Ichinose also set new tournament records in the 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter backstroke, and a new Japanese record in the 100-meter freestyle.
In the men's 200m individual medley, Dai Tokai set a new meet record, highlighting the strong performance of Japanese athletes from the first day of competition.
The excitement continued on subsequent days, with Daiki Tokuyama setting a new Japanese record in the men's 200-meter freestyle. In the men's 100-meter butterfly, Yuki Kimura won with an Asian record, Japanese record, and meet record, bringing the three days of intense competition to a thrilling close.
Official Website:
http://www.jsad.or.jp/japanpara/
Was this article helpful?
Share this article
