By Melody Wu
OCA Young Reporter from Chinese Taipei
Tokyo, Japan, September 25, 2026: Japan’s 17-year-old Shin Ohashi produced a stunning performance at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on Thursday, winning the men’s 200m breaststroke in a world-record time of 2:04.83 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
Ohashi broke the previous world record of 2:05.48 set by China’s Qin Haiyang at the 2023 World Championships. The victory gave him his second gold medal of the Games after sharing the 100m breaststroke title with China’s Dong Zhihao earlier in the week.
The result was even more remarkable considering his preparation. Speaking after the race, Ohashi said he had recently been ill with COVID-19 and felt that his body had not completely returned to its best condition.
During his recovery, people around him helped arrange massage and other physical care. Their support became another source of motivation and, after the heats, Ohashi began to feel more confident about what he might achieve in the final.
He also competed in several events during the Games, including the 100m breaststroke and relays. Rather than simply feeling tired from the busy schedule, Ohashi felt that racing more helped him find his rhythm and speed.
Even Ohashi was surprised by the result. The race had felt so difficult that, when he touched the wall, he initially thought his time would be slower. Seeing 2:04.83 changed not only the record books but also his own expectations.
Ohashi had previously imagined reaching the 2:03 range as an important goal later in his career. After breaking the world record at 17, however, he said he could now imagine swimming 2:02 or even 2:01 in the future.
For Ohashi, the record has already changed what he believes may be possible. His next challenge is not simply to defend what he has achieved, but to see how much faster he can go.