Ohashi Shin breaks own junior world record in 100m breaststroke, Irvine, California; 58.54 seconds for silver.

Pan Pacific Championships 2026: Japan’s teen sensation Ohashi Shin breaks own junior world record to win silver in men’s 100m breaststroke

Japan’s 17-year-old swimming sensation Ohashi shaved 0.13 seconds off his own junior world record en route to a silver medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke at the Pan Pacs.

Japan’s teenage sensation Ohashi Shin lowered his own junior world record to win the silver medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships 2026 on Thursday (13 August).

Competing at William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Centre in Irvine, California, the 17-year-old touched the line in 58.54 seconds.

His latest time clipped his previous junior world record of 58.67 set at the national championships in Japan in March, where he passed four-time Olympic champion Kitajima Kosuke to become the youngest-ever breaststroke triple crown winner at the age of 17.

Tipped as the next big name in Japanese swimming , Ohashi finished second in Thursday’s event behind Van Mathias of Team USA, who won in a championship record time of 58.02.

Samuel Williamson of Australia, the Glasgow 2026 champion , was third in 59.34.

Ohashi also holds the world lead in the men’s 200m breaststroke this season with a time of 2:06.59 - which is also a junior world record.

The teenager will be back in action in the 50m and 200m breaststroke events at the championships, which are taking place from 12 to 15 August.

Pan Pacific Championships 2026: Remember the name - Ohashi Shin, the teenage Japanese breaststroke sensation