‘Genius’ Ohashi bids for third Asian Games gold after world record

Japanese teenager Shin Ohashi is on the verge of securing his third Asian Games breaststroke gold medal after qualifying for the 50m final at the Tokyo Games. The 17-year-old shattered the 200m breaststroke world record with a time of 2 minutes 4.83 seconds, cutting nearly half a second off the previous mark set by China's Qin Haiyang.

Ohashi's second gold came in the 100m breaststroke, which he won after a tie with China's Dong Zhihao. This impressive performance positions him as a leading contender for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where he might face French sensation Leon Marchand. Ohashi qualified for the final with a time of 27.00 seconds, finishing just 0.13 seconds behind Qin.

Despite battling a case of Covid before the Games, Ohashi expressed confidence in his ability to perform well in the final. Qin Haiyang, who secured bronze in the 100m breaststroke, praised Ohashi's talent, calling him a "genius." Teammate Ippei Watanabe also commended Ohashi's performance, stating he couldn't stop watching his swim on YouTube.