HAMAMATSU, Shizuoka Pref. (Kyodo) Ryosuke Irie won his third consecutive 200-meter backstroke title in a Japanese record of 1 minute, 54.02 seconds at the national championships Sunday, just 0.08 off the world record set by American Ryan Lochte at last summer's Beijing Olympics where Irie finished fifth in the event.
On the final day of the four-day meet at Hamamatsu swimming center, Ryo Tateishi and Yuta Suenaga joined two-time double Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima as the only Japanese breaststrokers to swim under one minute in the 100 meters.
Tateishi touched the wall in 59.80 and Suenaga clocked 59.90.
In women's action, Aya Terakawa completed a 50-100-200 backstroke triple by winning the 200 meters in 2:09.27.