Mitsunaga Sets Asian Games Record in 100m Butterfly Final
Japan’s Shoon Mitsunaga broke the Asian Games record and national best to beat China’s Xu Fang in the 100m butterfly final.
Key points
- Shoon Mitsunaga won the 100m butterfly in 50.56, setting a new Asian Games record.
- Xu Fang took silver in 50.73, matching his own Chinese national record.
- Mitsunaga also broke Japan's national record, previously held by Naoki Mizunuma.
Tokyo Aquatics Centre, night four. Shoon Mitsunaga and Xu Fang shattered national records in the men's 100m butterfly final at the 2026 Asian Games. The Japanese swimmer took gold in 50.56, while the Chinese athlete claimed silver in 50.73.
Mitsunaga exploded off the blocks. He hit the first 50 meters in 23.79 seconds. The water churned behind him as he surged forward. His second half took 26.77 seconds. He touched the wall ahead of his rivals. The crowd roared as the clock stopped.
Two Nations Dominate Podium
Japan and China filled all three top spots. Mitsunaga held off teammate Katsuhiro Matsumoto, who took bronze in 51.36. Matsumoto is the defending champion. He finished third, but the gap was clear. The two Japanese swimmers framed the Chinese silver medalist on the podium.
Xu Fang matched his own national record. He set that time at Chinese Nationals in June. His 50.73 split was strong. It kept him close to the leader. The race was tight until the final stroke. Both men pushed hard for the win.
Historic Marks Fall In Tokyo
Mitsunaga broke the Asian Games record. Joseph Schooling had held it at 51.04 since 2018. The new mark stood at 50.56. This erased a long-standing barrier. Mitsunaga also updated Japan’s national record. Naoki Mizunuma had set that in 2022.
He entered the meet with a best of 51.16. That came from the Pan Pacific Championships a month ago. Now he is Asia’s second-fastest 100m butterfly swimmer ever. SwimSwam reported the historic fall of records. The performance marked a major leap for the sport.
Relay Speed Fueled Solo Win
Mitsunaga showed his speed earlier in the week. He swam the fly leg in the medley relay. His split was 49.74 seconds. That was the third-fastest in history. It helped Japan win silver in that event. The raw power carried over to the solo final.
The world record stands at 49.45. Caeleb Dressel set it in 2021. The Asian record is 50.39. Joseph Schooling holds that from 2016. Mitsunaga is now close to these global marks. The competition in the pool is intense. Every stroke counts in this event.
