Asia Recap, Day 7: Mizunuma Makes Japanese Butterfly Magic

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
• Budapest, Hungary
• Duna Arena
• LCM (50-meter format)
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Tonight the nation of Japan made history, with Naoki Mizunuma making it onto the podium in the men’s 100m butterfly event.

Stopping the clock in a time of 50.94, 25-year-old Mizunuma snagged the silver medal behind winner Kristof Milak of Hungary (50.14) and tonight’s bronze medalist Josh Liendo of Canada (50.97). In doing so, Mizunuma became Japan’s first-ever medalist in this 1fly event at a World Championships.

After his accomplishment, Mizunuma, who earlier this year became Japan’s first-ever swimmer to dip under teh 51-second threshold in the event, said,  “I was a little bit nervous before the race but I’m very happy to win a medal here.

Already looking ahead, Mizunuma said, “I wanted to swim faster, next is Fukuoka, my plan is to win a gold
there.”

Mizunuma was slightly quicker in the semi-final round of the race, establishing a new national record of 50.81 last night. He also raced the men’s 50m butterfly earlier in the competition but was rendered 20th (23.60) out of the heats.

Making waves for China this evening was multi-Olympic medalist Zhang Yufei. The 24-year-old took bronze in the 50m fly (25.32), adding the medal to her two medals of the same color already collected here in the 100m and 200m fly events.

Her trio of bronze medals makes Zhang just the 2nd swimmer to win a medal in all 3 butterfly events at a single World Championships besides Laszlo Cseh of Hungary who accomplished the same feat in 2015.

Finally, Tang Qianting scored a new Chinese and Asian record in the women’s 50m breast, touching in 30.10 to make it into tomorrow night’s final.

National Records Through Day 7

• South Korea: men’s 4×100 free relay – 3:15.68; Hwang Sunwoo, men’s 200m free – 1:44.47; men’s 4 x 200 free relay – 7:06.93; Ji Yu-Chan, men’s 50m freestyle – 22.03
• Malaysia: Khiew Hoe Yean, men’s 400m freestyle – 3:48.72
• Kyrgyzstan: Denis Petrashov, men’s 50m breaststroke – 27.89
• China: Tang Qianting, women’s 50m breaststroke – 30.10 (Asian Record); Pan Zhanle, men’s 100m freestyle – 47.65; Zhang Yufei, women’s 50m butterfly – 25.32
• Singapore: Gan Ching Hwe, women’s 1500m freestyle – 16:32.43
• Japan: Naoki Mizunuma, men’s 100m butterfly – 50.81

Asian Swimming Medal Table Through Day 7