Profile | Shoma Sato: biography, Tokyo Olympics, preferred stroke, Asian record and ISL franchise
- The 20-year-old Sato became an instant medal contender in the 200-metre butterfly when he posted the second fastest time ever this year
- Japanese races for the Tokyo Frog Kings in the ISL
At April’s national championships, which doubled as the country’s Olympic trials, the relatively unknown teenager exceeded all expectations by smashing the Japanese record in the men’s 200-metre breaststroke with a time of two minutes, 6.40 seconds.
Sato, who The Japan Times called a “rising star”, not only set a new Japanese and Asian record, but posted the second fastest time ever in the event, and is now a serious medal threat at the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Biography
Sato was born in Tokyo, Japan on February 8, 2001. He was exposed to swimming almost immediately by his father, Shinpei, and joined the Tokyo Swimming Centre, where a number of top Japanese swimmers have trained, at the age of nine. He is currently in his third year of studying at the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo.