Ohashi sets WR, Bahrain breaks through as China's Zhang seals six-gold haul

Japan's 17-year-old Shin Ohashi shattered the men's 200-meter breaststroke world record on Thursday, while Bahrain celebrated its first swimming gold of the 2026 Asian Games and China's Zhang Zhanshuo took his gold-medal haul to six.

Ohashi clocked 2 minutes, 4.83 seconds to become the first swimmer to break 2:05 in the event, lowering the previous world record of 2:05.48 set by China's Qin Haiyang at the 2023 World Championships.

It was the first swimming world record of these Games.

Gold medallist and world record holder Japan's Shin Ohashi celebrates on the podium during the victory ceremony of the men's 200m breaststroke swimming event during the 2026 Asian Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on September 24, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

"I am very happy to achieve the goal I've had for a long time, which is to break the world record," Ohashi said.

The teenager had already emerged as one of Japan's brightest swimming prospects. World Aquatics ratified his world junior records in the 100m and 200m breaststroke in 2025, and he had already won the 100m breaststroke title at the Asian Games.

Ohashi said his confidence grew after he clocked 2:09.00 in the morning heats.

"After the heats, I thought, maybe I really can do it," he said.

Ohashi, who said he had initially targeted a time in the 2:03 range, has set his sights on winning gold at the 2027 World Championships before turning his attention to the Olympics.

"I hope I can swim 2:02.00, or even 2:01.00 in the future," he said.

Earlier, Bahrain's Mikhail Arkhangelskiy produced another landmark performance, winning the men's 50m butterfly in 22.91 seconds to equal his own Asian record and claim Bahrain's first swimming gold at an Asian Games.

Gold medallist Bahrain's Mikhail Arkhangelskiy reacts after breaking the Asian Record while competing in the final of the men's 50m butterfly swimming event during the 2026 Asian Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on September 24, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

The 21-year-old, who was born in Russia and raised in France, began representing Bahrain this year after spending 16 years swimming in France and later competing at college in the United States.

"I found the energy, I found the confidence to win, and that's really something I'm proud of for my country," Arkhangelskiy said.

He said Bahrain's investment in swimming and the training conditions it offered played a role in his decision to represent the country.

"It's a big achievement, and I feel more confident, happier," he said. "I'm really proud and happy that Bahrain gave me the chance."

Arkhangelskiy will next turn his attention to the World Championships in Budapest next year.

China again claimed the largest share of the night's gold medals, with Zhang winning twice to take his tally to six titles.

The 19-year-old first defended his men's 800m freestyle title in an Asian Games record before returning to help China win the men's 4x100m freestyle relay alongside Zhao Jiayue, Wang Haoyu and Pan Zhanle in an Asian record 3:10.60.

Zhang has won six of the seven events he has entered and has the men's 400m freestyle remaining on his schedule on Friday.

"The schedule may look quite brutal from the outside, but for me there was a long break in between," Zhang said of racing twice on Thursday.

Gold medallist China's Zhanshuo Zhang celebrates after the final of the men's 200m freestyle swimming event during the 2026 Asian Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on September 23, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Reflecting on the relay victory, Zhang said he was pleased to have shared the title and Asian record with his teammates.

"I think today was a relatively good result. I'm very happy that I could win this valuable gold medal with my teammates and break a new Asian record," he said.

Wu Qingfeng added another Chinese gold in the women's 50m freestyle, winning in an Asian Games record 23.98 seconds, just 0.01 outside the Asian record held by Liu Xiang.

Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, China, took silver in 24.32, with China's Cheng Yujie third in 24.46.

"I feel it is a little regrettable," Wu said, pointing to a slow reaction at the start and an imperfect finish. "If I can do these two details better, I can go even faster."

China also dominated the women's 4x200m freestyle relay, leading from start to finish to win in 7:49.37 and claim its eighth consecutive Asian Games title in the event.

Japan's Kotomi Kato won the women's 200m breaststroke, ahead of South Korea's Park Sieun and China's Zhu Leiju.