Pan Pacific Championships, Night Four Finals: Tomoyuki Matsushita Completes Medley Double with Late Rally
Heading into the final night of the Pan Pacific Championships, Tomoyuki Matsushita was best known for his prowess in the 400-meter individual medley. The Japanese star was the silver medalist at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and replicated that finish at last summer’s World Championships. On Saturday night, the 21-year-old showed he can be a force at half the distance.
Completing the medley sweep at the William Woollett Aquatics Center, Matsushita passed the United States’ Carson Foster on the closing freestyle leg and picked up the victory in 1:56.02, with Foster grabbing the silver medal in 1:56.37. The bronze went to Australian William Petric, as his mark of 1:56.65 fended off the 1:56.82 of 17-year-old Japanese standout Yumeki Kojima (1:56.82).
Matsushita was among the race’s leaders through the first three legs, touching first after the opening butterfly and sitting second at the 100- and 150-meter marks. But it wasn’t until the freestyle leg that he led, and his move to the front of the field came courtesy of a 27.66, which was quicker than the 28.03 recorded by Foster.
The runnerup to Leon Marchand in the 400 IM at the past two major international meets, Matsushita has expressed his desire to cut into the Frenchman’s wide gap over the competition in that event. Clearly, he has made the 200 IM an equal priority. Matsushita put together a strategically flawless race, as he was .21 off Foster’s lead at the first turn and trailed by .49 at the midway point. He clawed back to .02 behind Foster entering the freestyle leg and had no trouble pulling away.
Matsushita is part of a deep Japanese contingent of medley swimmers who are expected to battle for the invitations to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He’s actually been faster this year, thanks to a 1:55.71 clocking in the 200 IM at the Japan Open.
“I (haven’t) had much time in an outdoor pool,” Matsushita said through an interpreter during a deckside interview after the race. “But two times, I did a good job…This is the best.”
Foster was also the runnerup to Matsushita in the 400 individual medley and led the race through each of the first three laps. His silver-medal finish was his third in the event in international competition, following two second-place showings at the World Championships. But Foster was not pleased with the outcome.
“It’s kind of a bummer way to end the meet,” Foster said. “I want to hear the anthem when I’m (on the podium). I’m frustrated with that.”
