Swimming: World champ Honda qualifies for Olympic men’s 200 butterfly

TOKYO (Kyodo) — World champion Tomoru Honda will swim for Japan in the men’s 200-meter butterfly at the Paris Games after finishing second at the national Olympic selection trials on Thursday.

Former world record holder Ippei Watanabe was also among the swimmers to book their Olympic tickets at Tokyo Aquatics Centre, winning the men’s 200 breaststroke.

Genki Terakado qualified in first place for the men’s 200 butterfly after chasing down Honda over the final 50 meters. He touched the wall in 1 minute, 54.07 seconds, to beat the recently crowned world champion by 0.11.

Two-time Olympian Daiya Seto was third, missing out on a national team berth in the event.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Honda, who claimed his first world title last month in Doha, continued to deal with the effects of an ankle sprain suffered on the day of his departure to Qatar.

Despite being unable to kick as strongly as normal, he hit the 150-meter turn faster than at the world championships. He could not hold off Terakado down the home stretch but reached his second Olympics by finishing inside the qualification cutoff time.

“Part of me is disappointed, but I’m relieved,” Honda said.

Terakado will make his Olympic debut at the July 26 to Aug. 11 games in the French capital.

Watanabe qualified for his second Summer Games by winning the men’s 200 breaststroke in 2:06.94. Runner-up Yu Hanaguruma also came in under the cutoff time and will contest his first Olympics.