Former two-time double gold medal Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima powered to victory in the men's 100-meter breaststroke on the first day of action Friday at the Japan Open.
Kitajima, who captured a pair of golds at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Games, touched the wall in 1 minute, 0.44 seconds at Sagamihara Green Pool. Yasuhiro Koseki was second in 1:00.87 and Ryo Tateishi in third in 1:00.98.
Akihiro Yamaguchi, the world-record holder in the 200 breaststroke, tied for seventh.
In the men's 100 backstroke, Ryosuke Irie won in 53.36 seconds. Kosuke Hagino, who beat Irie at the national championships in April, was third in 54.15.
Hagino made Japanese swimming history when he became the first swimmer to win five titles at the nationals.
In women's action, Aya Terakawa took the 100 backstroke in 59.50, Natsumi Hoshi prevailed in the 200 butterfly in 2:06.43 and Satomi Suzuki won the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.94.