Satomi Suzuki Wins Two Titles at Konami Open, Eyes Paris Olympic Records!

The aftermath: competing in the Paris Olympics as the oldest swimmer in Japanese history

Satomi Suzuki (34, Miki House) competed in the Konami Open (February 15-16) and won the women’s 100m breaststroke final with a time of 1:06.62, surpassing the qualification standard (1:06.87) for the World Championships in July. She also claimed victory in the 50m event, securing two titles.

This marks her third consecutive win in the 100m at the tournament. At 34, she surpassed her previous times of 1:07.23 in 2023 and 1:07.42 in 2024.

Though it’s still early in the season and the significance of the time may be uncertain, Suzuki’s radiant expression and double peace sign toward a longtime photographer right after the race reflected her confidence and satisfaction.

“What? You’re still going?”

Living in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Suzuki starts her day early. She wakes up just after 5 a.m., quickly eats a bowl of rice with raw egg and natto, and by 6:30 a.m., she’s already training in the pool at her alma mater, Yamanashi Gakuin University, alongside student athletes.

She follows a two-session training routine, with weight training at the gym in between.

Although athlete longevity has improved in recent years, it’s still rare for swimmers to continue competing past 30. Having witnessed many of her peers retire, Suzuki has contemplated her own future more than once.

She initially planned for the Paris Olympics to be her final competition, but during the event, she decided to keep going. Her coach and trainer had never considered retirement an option.

“They believed that as long as I could still train properly, there was no need to stop. Even I thought, ‘Wait, I’m still continuing?’ I also felt like I had given my all in Paris.

But I didn’t reach my personal best, and I was just shy of a medal in the 200m. If I had set a personal best and won a medal, I might have retired. But I felt a sense of unfinished business, and at the same time, the thought arose—‘I can still aim for better times.’”

For a long time, Japanese swimming culture believed that peak performance occurred in one’s teenage years, as seen with Kyoko Iwasaki, who won gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

However, Tadahiko Kanda, the head coach of Yamanashi Gakuin University’s swim team, who has coached Suzuki since her student days, disagrees with that notion.

“The reason why top student swimmers in Japan haven’t continued improving after graduation is simply that they lacked an environment where they could continue training properly.

Swimming is similar to marathon running—training volume directly translates to results. In fact, in the U.S., there are swimmers who have won medals even past the age of 40.

Suzuki has the support of her team, Miki House, and the drive to keep improving. As long as the right environment is provided, more athletes like her—who continue to produce results as they age—will emerge.”

Feeling the results of accumulated training

Since last fall, Suzuki has increased the total distance she swims per practice session from an average of 4,000–5,000 meters to 6,000–7,000 meters.

“It’s just a feeling, but even with the increased training volume, I don’t feel as much fatigue. Of course, I do get tired, but I no longer feel completely exhausted after a race. I think my body is finally getting used to the accumulated training.”

She plans to enter three events—the 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke—at the Japan Championships starting on March 20. Having focused on speed training, she is particularly confident in the 50m and 100m races.

The continued growth of this veteran swimmer offers many lessons for the Japanese swimming community.

The March 13 issue of FRIDAY (March 28 edition) and the premium FRIDAY GOLD feature Suzuki’s thoughts on her age, future in the sport, and exclusive race photos.

 

For more details and multiple photos, check here ↓

From the March 28, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”