Japanese swimmers are having a record-breaking short course season. Aya Terakawm broke her national record in the 50 free (26.05) and moved closer to becoming the first Japanese female to break 26 seocnds. Meanwhile, teenager Kanako Watanbe beat her 100 IM national record by .4 seconds, clocking a 59.34.
Terakawa swam a 26.05 in the sprint event to shave .08 off her record, which she had previously set in 2009 at the Stockholm stop of the FINA World Cup. This was Terakawa’s first official meet since the 2012 Olympics, where she won two bronze medals in the 100 back and 400 medley relay.
Terakawa, 28, still has a way to go to reach Sanja Jovanovich’s world record of 25.70, set last December at the short course world championships. Terakawa also put Shiho Sakai’s world record of 55.23 in the 100 back with a 55.76.
Watanabe, just 17 years old, swam a 59.34 in the 100 IM to lower her own national record, which was a 59.74 from a prelim swim at the December short course world championships. Watanabe placed 10th overall in Istanbul in the event.