Japan’s Shin Ohashi breaks 200m breaststroke world record despite Covid and fever

Japan teenager Shin Ohashi broke the men’s 200m breaststroke world record in Tokyo at the Asian Games on Thursday, stopping the clock at 2min 4.83sec. The 17-year-old produced the time days after suffering Covid and running a temperature of about 39C.

Ohashi’s victory was his second gold of the Games in Tokyo, coming after he won the 100m breaststroke earlier in the week in a dead heat with China’s Dong Zhihao. He cut more than half a second off the previous world record, held by China’s Qin Haiyang since July 2023, and the result was described in reports as marking him out as the man to beat at the Los Angeles Olympics in two years’ time.

In the 200m final Ohashi took control from the off and paced the race against the clock throughout. He finished 3.84sec clear of the silver medallist Denis Petrashov of Kyrgyzstan.

Ohashi said his illness had been a blessing in disguise. “With the Covid, it made me feel uneasy mentally,” he said. “But on the other hand it meant I was forced to rest my body properly for a while. I think that was a good thing.”

Outlining his immediate ambitions, Ohashi declared his targets for the coming seasons. “My next goal is to win gold at next year’s world championships and then go on to win gold at the Olympics,” said Ohashi. “I don’t want to be satisfied and I want to feel these emotions again.”

His rapid rise has prompted comparisons with Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima and the younger swimmer spoke about learning from his peers. He said he was “watching all the other swimmers and trying to learn from them”. He continued: “I don’t really have any heroes, I think all swimmers are fantastic. But in terms of achievements, Kitajima is the one I would like to emulate most.”

Ohashi will attempt to complete a three-event sweep when he swims in the 50m breaststroke on Friday.