Tomoru Honda of Japan will return to Budapest this December with two goals in mind: defending his world record and reclaiming his dominance in the men’s 200m Butterfly at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m).
Honda solidified his place in the history books as a world-record holder at Japan’s Short Course National Championship in October 2022, obliterating the previous 200m Butterfly short-course record. His time of 1:46.85 at Tokyo’s Tatsumi International Swimming Center shattered Daiya Seto’s 1:48.24 record by an astonishing 1.39 seconds. Breaking the world record at the age of just 20, Honda’s performance proved the young swimmer’s potential to dominate both short- and long-course pools.
His ability in the 50m pool has been equally impressive. At the World Aquatics Championships in Doha earlier this year, Honda overcame a sprained ankle to capture the men’s 200m Butterfly gold. The victory, marked by a thrilling final lap, made Honda the first Japanese swimmer to claim the world title in this event. His performance also broke his streak of back-to-back bronze medals at previous World Aquatics Championships. The triumph came after a dramatic duel with Italy’s Alberto Razzetti, with Honda pulling away in the last 50 metres to secure a historic win.
Beyond his World Championships successes, Honda has consistently added medals to his collection on the international stage, including two golds in the men’s 200m Butterfly and men’s 400m Medley at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023.
Honda’s career has not been without setbacks, though. This summer, he suffered a surprising defeat at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, failing to progress beyond the heats in his signature event. The Olympic silver medallist from Tokyo 2020 will undoubtedly view Budapest as a chance to turn the page and reclaim his place at the top of the discipline.
With other star athletes also on top form, including Paris 2024’s golden-boy Leon Marchand and record-breaking machine Noe Ponti, fans can expect a thrilling race to decide who will cement their status as the undisputed king of the 200m Butterfly in the 25-metre pool.