Nakamura and Nakanishi issue Olympic swimming warning

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

TOKYO (AFP) — Athens Olympic bronze medallists Reiko Nakamura and Yuko Nakanishi issued an Olympic warning by setting new world records at the Japan Open short course swimming championships on Saturday.

Nakamura clocked two minutes 3.24 seconds to win the women's 200-metre backstroke, beating the previous mark of 2:03.62 set by American Natalie Coughlin in New York in November 2001.

Nakanishi timed 2:03.12 to win the women's 200m butterfly, beating the 2:03.53 set by Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland in Debrecen, Hungary, last December.

"I had targeted to set a new world record, but I was surprised that I actually did it," said Nakamura, 25.

"I'm going to do it again at the qualifying races for the Olympics in April. Top swimmers in the world are also...