TOKYO: Yumeki Kojima won Asian Games gold for Japan on Tuesday, clocking a Games-record 4:07.02 in the men’s 400m individual medley at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
The 17-year-old broke the previous Games record held by Japanese Olympic champion Kosuke Hagino. Kojima also improved his own world junior record, according to Reuters.
Japan completed a one-two finish as Tomoyuki Matsushita took silver in 4:09.64. China’s Wang Shun claimed bronze in 4:14.59.
Kojima said French world record holder Leon Marchand remained the swimmer he most wanted to challenge. Marchand was at the venue conducting a swimming clinic for local children.
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“Marchand is the athlete I’m aiming for the most,” Kojima said, adding that he hoped to close the gap and eventually beat the four-time Olympic champion.
China also collected another major swimming title Tuesday. Peng Xuwei won the women’s 200m backstroke in an Asian-record 2:05.77, lowering Zhao Jing’s previous continental mark of 2:06.46.
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The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are staging swimming events in Tokyo while many other competitions are taking place in Aichi Prefecture.
