Double Olympic champion Ohashi Yui squeezes into Paris 2024 on last day of Japan swimming trials
Double Olympic gold medallist Ohashi Yui does have one more Games in her after all.
The reigning women’s individual medley champion left it until the last day of the Japanese swimming trials to secure a quota at Paris 2024*. She touched the wall first in the women's 200m IM on Sunday (24 March) in a time of 2:09.17.
Ohashi, who missed out in the 400m IM on Tuesday, claimed the narrow victory over Matsumoto Shiho (2:09.90) and Narita Mio (2:10.39) to go under the qualifying time of 2:10.70. This clinched her a spot at what will be her second, and likely her last, Olympic Games.
“Before Tokyo, I thought that would be my first and only Olympics,” the 28-year-old said. “But now I have an opportunity to take another shot at the Games and it’s a wonderful feeling.
“I’m grateful to be able to be swimming for so long. The end is nearing for me and I wasn’t sure how the race would turn out today. I was just thinking about giving it my absolute 100 per cent.”
*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.
The eight-day competition at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre drew to a close with Ohashi having the last laugh.
Ohashi had the top time through the semi-finals and while she was two seconds off her personal best, the swimmer got the job done, unlike in the 400m IM in which she trailed 17-year-old Narita and 2022 Asian Games silver medallist Tanigawa Ageha.
It was at this venue three years ago when Ohashi swept the women’s IM at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but there were no fans to hail her feat of becoming Japan’s first female Summer Olympian to win multiple golds at a single Games.
In Paris the stands will be packed and Ohashi is looking forward to it - and perhaps a return to the podium as well.
“There was no crowd for Tokyo so I’m really looking forward to the fans being back. The world championships in Budapest were my first and they were so loud. I love that kind of atmosphere and intensity which I feed off of," she said. “I can’t wait.”