Tokyo, Japan : At the conclusion of the 101st Japan Swimming Championships held at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, two teenage swimmers stole the spotlight with performances that didn’t just win races — they rewrote world junior history.
Junior Phenoms Make a Splash
Kojima Shines in the Medleys
At just 17 years old, Yumeki Kojima littered the national headlines with brilliance in the individual medley events.
In the men’s 200-metre individual medley, Kojima clocked 1:56.53, obliterating the previous world junior record of 1:56.99 set by Hungary’s Hubert Kos at the 2021 European Championships.
“That time felt unbelievable — I just focused on my race and tried to swim clean,” Kojima reflected after the swim, visibly thrilled by the new mark.
In the longer 400-metre individual medley final, he again rewrote the junior world mark with 4:08.84, finishing second but securing global attention with a double world-record output.
Ohashi Commands Breaststroke with Authority
Not to be outdone, Shin Ohashi, also 17, stamped his authority in the breaststroke races. On March 19, Ohashi powered to a world junior record of 58.67 seconds in the men’s 100-metre breaststroke — the first junior world mark set at the meet. �
Then on March 21, he completed a clean 100–200 breaststroke sweep, winning the 200-metre breaststroke in 2:06.59, slicing 0.32 seconds off his own previous world junior record.
“I’m proud of what I’ve done here, but there’s still so much swimming ahead,” Ohashi said with a smile after his 200m victory.
Legends, Experience & Youth Collide
While the championships spotlighted these young sensations, seasoned stars were not far behind. Olympic silver medalist Tomoyuki Matsushita continued to showcase his experience, winning the 200m IM and 400m IM events where Kojima set his junior marks.
But the story of the meet unmistakably revolved around the youth movement — two teenagers stepping confidently into Japan’s long tradition of elite aquatic excellence.
Why It Matters: Bigger Meets Await
With the 2026 international season ramping up, performances in Tokyo carried greater weight than medals alone. Results from the Japan Swim are key in selecting teams for:
Pan Pacific Championships (August 12–15, Irvine, USA)
Asian Games (September 20–25, Tokyo)
Both Kojima and Ohashi now firmly have their names in the mix as contenders for international success, and possibly as future stars on the world swimming stage.
The Next Chapter for Japan’s Young Guns
While their world junior records won’t stand forever, the confidence they’ve gained — and the attention they’ve earned — will. With summer international competitions ahead, eyes around the swimming world will be keenly watching how these two young Japanese swimmers build on this breakthrough week.
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