Asaki Nishikawa Pops Impressive 400 IM at Japan Open; Siobhan Haughey Snares 100 Freestyle Title
The final of the men’s 400 individual medley was one of the most-anticipated events on the second day of the Japan Open, thanks to a field that included firepower and depth. Ultimately, it was Asaki Nishikawa who emerged victorious, propelled by a time that soared into the top-five for the 2025 campaign.
The 19-year-old Nishikawa logged a personal-best time of 4:07.67 to claim the win, with his marker vaulting him to No. 4 in the world rankings. The gold medalist in the event at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, Nishikawa is one of several world-class athletes in the 400 IM for Japan. He was followed in second place by visiting Aussie William Petric, who checked in with a swim of 4:10.27.
Nishikawa entered the weekend with a best time of 4:09.26, which was clocked in college competition back in September. While Petric was the runnerup, third place went to Yumeki Kojima (4:11.49). Fourth and fifth were secured by Riku Yamaguchi (4:12.04) and Tomoyuki Matsushita (4:12.19). Matsushita is the reigning silver medalist in the 400 medley from the 2024 Olympic Games and last summer’s World Championships.
A little more than a week after winning the event at the Chinese National Games, Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey won the 100 freestyle as a visiting athlete. Haughey registered a performance of 53.04, which was good for a decisive win over Japan’s Nagisa Ikemoto (54.11). In the men’s 100 free, Kai Taylor edged Ed Sommerville by the slimmest of margins, 48.36 to 48.37. Taylor built an early advantage and was able to hold off the late rally of Sommerville.
Veteran Satomi Suzuki, who continues to excel at 34 years old, backed up her win in the 100 breaststroke with a first-place effort in the 50 distance. Suzuki covered her lap in 30.66, with Australian Sienna Toohey going 30.99 for second. On the men’s side, 16-year-old Shin Ohashi set a Japanese high school record with a winning swim of 27.01.
In the women’s 400 individual medley, Australian Olympian Jenna Forrester followed her triumph in the 200 freestyle with another victory. Forrester clocked in at 4:38.75 and held off a late charge by Japan’s Waka Kobori, who reached the wall in 4:39.60.
Defeated in the 200 freestyle by Sommerville, Japan’s Tatsuya Murasa bounced back in the 400 freestyle with a triumph, on the strength of a 3:46.73 outing. That time held off the 3:47.13 of Australian Benjamin Goedemans. In the men’s 200 backstroke, Takehara Hidekazu won in 1:56.11.
Mizuki Hirai (25.99) was fastest in the women’s 50 butterfly and Aussie Ben Armbruster won the men’s version of the event behind a strong showing of 23.10. Ausstralia’s Molly Walker won the women’s 400 freestyle in 4:08.15 and Japan’s Aimi Nagaoka (2:10.55) topped the competition in the women’s 200 backstroke.