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Daiya SETO
Sport Swimming
NOC Japan   
GenderMen
Born24 May 1994 in Iruma, JPN
Height1.74 m
 Human Interest 
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
CHARIS & Co: Japan
Further Personal Information
Higher education
Sports Science - Waseda University: Tokyo, JPN
General Interest
Hero / Idol
Japanese swimmer Kosuke Hagino. (Swimming Magazine, 11 Apr 2013)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach
Takayuki Umehara [national], JPN; Takeshi Kato [personal], JPN, from 2022
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Athlete, Office Worker
Languages
Japanese
Residence
Japan
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
He was involved in both football and swimming as a child, but thought swimming was more interesting.
General Interest
Ambitions
To win gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (sankei.com, 21 Mar 2023)
Awards and honours
He was named Asian Male Swimmer of the Year by SwimSwam in 2018 and 2019. (swimswam.com, 25 Dec 2019)

He was presented with a Special Citation Award at the 2018 Japan Aquatics Awards. (swim.or.jp, 29 Jan 2019)

In 2016 and 2018 he received an Excellence Award at the Japan Aquatics Awards. (swim.or.jp, 29 Jan 2019; tobiuojapan.org, 30 Jan 2017)

He received an Honorary Prize at the 2014 Saitama Prefecture Sports Awards in Japan. (sai-suiren.net, 16 Mar 2015)

In 2013 he received a Special Award at the 63rd Japan Sports Awards. (swim.or.jp, 18 Jan 2014)

In 2013 he received the Moroyama Town Special Merit Award in Japan. (town.moroyama.saitama.jp, 24 Sep 2013)

He received an Excellence Award at the 2013 Japanese Olympic Committee [JOC] Awards. (jeb.co.jp, 08 Sep 2015)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He took up the sport at age five.
General Interest
Injuries
He withdrew from the 200m individual medley at the 2019 National Short Course Championships in Japan due to a left knee injury. (hochi.news, 28 Oct 2019; swim.or.jp, 27 Oct 2019)

In September 2015 he underwent surgery on both of his heels. He returned to competition in January 2016. (mainichi.jp, 17 Jan 2016; nikkansports.com, 15 Sep 2015)
Other information
RETIREMENT THOUGHTS
He considered retirement after failing to win a medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "Retirement also crossed my mind. There have been times when I thought that it would be better for my family if I quit swimming and had a regular job. However, I still had a strong feeling that I wanted to continue and try again. I won the world championship, but the only thing I didn't have was an Olympic gold medal." (news.yahoo.co.jp, 26 Jul 2022)
Famous relatives
His wife Yuka Mabuchi has represented Japan in diving. She won silver medals in women's synchronised 3m springboard and synchronised 10m platform at the 2012 Asian Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. His father-in-law Suei Mabuchi is a diving coach, and served as a coach of the Japanese national team at the Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020. (nikkansports.com, 14 Aug 2021; news-postseven.com, 09 Oct 2020; SportsDeskOnline, 27 Jan 2020; joc.or.jp, 16 Aug 2016)
Further Personal Information
Family
Wife Yuka Mabuchi, daughters Yuwa [2018] and Nowa [2020]
General Interest
Hobbies
Watching films. (Facebook page, 25 May 2020)
Most influential person in career
His family. (mbs.jp, 24 Aug 2018)
Milestones
He became the first swimmer representing Japan to successfully defend a long course world title when he followed up his victory in the 400m individual medley at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, with a win in the same event at the 2015 edition of the tournament in Kazan, Russian Federation. (joc.or.jp, 10 Aug 2015; SportsDeskOnline, 09 Aug 2015)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
4 2021 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:56.22
11 2021 Tokyo, JPN 200m Butterfly 1:55.50
9 2021 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:10.52
3 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 400m Individual Medley 4:09.71
5 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Butterfly 1:54.82
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2024 Doha, QAT 400m Individual Medley 4:12.51 
4 2024 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 1:57.54
3 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:09.41
6 2023 Fukuoka, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:56.70
6 2022 Budapest, HUN 400m Individual Medley 4:11.93
3 2022 Budapest, HUN 200m Individual Medley 1:56.22
1 2019 Gwangju, KOR 400m Individual Medley 4:08.95
1 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Individual Medley 1:56.14
2 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Butterfly 1:53.86
Heats 2019 Gwangju, KOR 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
3 2017 Budapest, HUN 400m Individual Medley 4:09.14
3 2017 Budapest, HUN 200m Butterfly 1:54.21
5 2017 Budapest, HUN 200m Individual Medley 1:56.97 
6 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Butterfly 1:55.16
Semifinal 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Individual Medley 2:00.05
1 2015 Kazan, RUS 400m Individual Medley 4:08.50
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:11.59
1 2013 Barcelona, ESP 400m Individual Medley 4:08.69
7 2013 Barcelona, ESP 200m Individual Medley 1:58.45
5 2013 Barcelona, ESP 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 200m Butterfly 1:49.22
1 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 400m Individual Medley 3:55.75
5 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 200m Individual Medley 1:51.39
1 2022 Melbourne, VIC, AUS 200m Breaststroke 2:00.35
1 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE 400m Individual Medley 3:56.26
1 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE 200m Individual Medley 1:51.15
4 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE 100m Individual Medley 51.46
1 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 200m Butterfly 1:48.24
1 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 400m Individual Medley 3:56.43
Heats 2018 Hangzhou, CHN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
1 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 400m Individual Medley 3:59.24 
3 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 200m Butterfly 1:49.97
2 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 100m Individual Medley 52.01 
Heats 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 200m Freestyle 1:44.93
Heats 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 100m Butterfly 51.66
3 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 200m Individual Medley 1:52.89
3 2016 Windsor, ON, CAN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay  
3 2014 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 1:51.79
1 2014 Doha, QAT 400m Individual Medley 3:56.33
2 2014 Doha, QAT 200m Butterfly 1:48.92
1 2012 Istanbul, TUR 400m Individual Medley 3:59.15
2 2012 Istanbul, TUR 200m Individual Medley 1:52.80
8 2012 Istanbul, TUR 100m Individual Medley 53.15
6 2012 Istanbul, TUR 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:00.79
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
14 2021   Overall Ranking  
1 2021 Doha, QAT 100m Individual Medley 51.56
1 2021 Doha, QAT 200m Butterfly 1:49.76
1 2021 Doha, QAT 200m Breaststroke 2:01.65
1 2021 Doha, QAT 400m Individual Medley 4:01.97
1 2021 Kazan, RUS 100m Individual Medley 51.29
1 2021 Kazan, RUS 200m Individual Medley 1:50.66
1 2021 Kazan, RUS 200m Breaststroke 2:01.49
1 2021 Kazan, RUS 400m Individual Medley 3:57.85
1 2019 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:11.41
13 2018   Overall Ranking  
5 2018 Budapest, HUN 100m Breaststroke 57.31
2 2018 Budapest, HUN 200m Butterfly 1:51.01
1 2018 Budapest, HUN 400m Individual Medley 4:01.16
2 2018 Eindhoven, NED 100m Individual Medley 51.40
1 2018 Eindhoven, NED 200m Individual Medley 1:51.09
1 2018 Eindhoven, NED 400m Individual Medley 3:57.25
3 2018 Eindhoven, NED 200m Breaststroke 2:04.19
6 2017   Overall  
3 2017 Beijing, CHN 100m Individual Medley 52.09
1 2017 Beijing, CHN 400m Individual Medley 3:58.20
4 2017 Beijing, CHN 100m Breaststroke 56.93
2 2017 Singapore, SGP 200m Breaststroke 2:01.30
1 2017 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 1:51.88
2 2017 Singapore, SGP 200m Butterfly 1:50.19
1 2017 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 3:57.66
1 2017 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:51.40
3 2016   Overall  
2 2016 Beijing, CHN 200m Butterfly 1:52.59
2 2016 Beijing, CHN 200m Breaststroke 2:03.81
8 2016 Beijing, CHN 100m Individual Medley 57.01
1 2016 Beijing, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:04.26
3 2016 Beijing, CHN 200m Backstroke 1:54.41
4 2016 Beijing, CHN 200m Individual Medley 1:54.51
1 2016 Doha, QAT 200m Butterfly 1:49.84
5 2016 Doha, QAT 100m Individual Medley 55.22
2 2016 Doha, QAT 200m Breaststroke 2:05.91
1 2016 Doha, QAT 400m Individual Medley 4:02.39
3 2016 Doha, QAT 100m Breaststroke 58.07
1 2016 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 1:52.49
4 2016 Doha, QAT 200m Backstroke 2:00.41
2 2016 Dubai, UAE 200m Butterfly 1:50.73
2 2016 Dubai, UAE 200m Breaststroke 2:05.29
5 2016 Dubai, UAE 100m Individual Medley 54.65
1 2016 Dubai, UAE 400m Individual Medley 4:00.93
3 2016 Dubai, UAE 100m Breaststroke 57.61
9 2016 Dubai, UAE 100m Butterfly 55.02
1 2016 Dubai, UAE 200m Individual Medley 1:52.41
4 2016 Dubai, UAE 200m Backstroke 1:54.26
2 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Butterfly 1:52.38
2 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 100m Individual Medley 52.97
1 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:04.11
3 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Freestyle 1:45.81
7 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 100m Butterfly 53.84
1 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Individual Medley 1:53.09
1 2016 Singapore, SGP 200m Butterfly 1:49.53
3 2016 Singapore, SGP 100m Individual Medley 52.05
1 2016 Singapore, SGP 400m Individual Medley 4:04.60
8 2016 Singapore, SGP 100m Butterfly 54.05
2 2016 Singapore, SGP 200m Freestyle 1:44.11
1 2016 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 1:52.80
1 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Butterfly 1:49.93
3 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 52.09
1 2016 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:03.42
3 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Freestyle 1:44.11
4 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Butterfly 50.80
1 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:52.48
8 2014   Overall  
1 2014 Beijing, CHN 200m Individual Medley 1:54.21
1 2014 Beijing, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:04.84
2 2014 Beijing, CHN 200m Butterfly 1:51.56
3 2014 Beijing, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:46.75
1 2014 Singapore, SGP 400m Individual Medley 4:04.07
2 2014 Singapore, SGP 200m Butterfly 1:51.81
3 2014 Singapore, SGP 100m Butterfly 50.71
1 2014 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 1:54.14
3 2014 Singapore, SGP 200m Freestyle 1:43.90
4 2014 Singapore, SGP 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:46.63
1 2014 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 3:59.91
2 2014 Tokyo, JPN 200m Butterfly 1:49.68
2 2014 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:52.55
24 2013   Overall  
4 2013 Berlin, GER 200m Breaststroke 2:04.50
3 2013 Berlin, GER 200m Individual Medley 1:52.62
1 2013 Berlin, GER 400m Individual Medley 3:58.84
3 2013 Berlin, GER 200m Butterfly 1:50.96
1 2013 Eindhoven, NED 400m Individual Medley 4:00.37
5 2013 Eindhoven, NED 200m Butterfly 1:51.90
4 2013 Eindhoven, NED 200m Individual Medley 1:53.76
3 2013 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:00.72
8 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 54.27
4 2012   Overall  
1 2012 Berlin, GER 400m Individual Medley 4:00.12
2 2012 Berlin, GER 200m Butterfly 1:52.22
3 2012 Berlin, GER 200m Individual Medley 1:53.84
8 2012 Berlin, GER 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:37.83
1 2012 Doha, QAT 400m Individual Medley 4:02.51
1 2012 Doha, QAT 200m Butterfly 1:51.30
1 2012 Doha, QAT 200m Breaststroke 2:04.87
2 2012 Doha, QAT 1500m Freestyle 14:48.97
3 2012 Doha, QAT 100m Breaststroke 58.60
3 2012 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 1:54.78
1 2012 Dubai, UAE 400m Individual Medley 4:02.64
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 200m Butterfly 1:51.71
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 200m Breaststroke 2:05.72
4 2012 Dubai, UAE 200m Freestyle 1:44.69
  2012 Dubai, UAE 100m Butterfly  DSQ
2 2012 Dubai, UAE 200m Individual Medley 1:53.90
1 2012 Moscow, RUS 400m Individual Medley 4:01.30
2 2012 Moscow, RUS 200m Butterfly 1:52.49
1 2012 Moscow, RUS 1500m Freestyle 15:03.02
1 2012 Moscow, RUS 200m Individual Medley 1:53.93
1 2012 Stockholm, SWE 400m Individual Medley 4:00.85
2 2012 Stockholm, SWE 200m Butterfly 1:52.12
2 2012 Stockholm, SWE 200m Breaststroke 2:06.65
8 2011   Overall  
2 2011 Berlin, GER 400m Individual Medley 4:02.85
1 2011 Moscow, RUS 400m Individual Medley 4:07.16
3 2011 Moscow, RUS 200m Individual Medley 1:55.86
2 2011 Stockholm, SWE 400m Individual Medley 4:03.33
1 2011 Stockholm, SWE 200m Individual Medley 1:54.65
1 2011 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:02.44
20 2010   Overall  
3 2010 Berlin, GER 400m Individual Medley 4:04.66
3 2010 Stockholm, SWE 200m Breaststroke 2:07.52
1 2010 Stockholm, SWE 200m Butterfly 1:53.57
2 2010 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:06.12
Asian Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
Heats 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Backstroke 56.76
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Butterfly 1:55.45
1 2016 Tokyo, JPN 400m Individual Medley 4:10.17
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 1:57.80 
1 2016 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:13.14 
1 2009 Foshan, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:20.56
5 2009 Foshan, CHN 50m Breaststroke 28.81
Asian Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 200m Individual Medley 1:58.35
2 2023 Hangzhou, CHN 400m Individual Medley 4:12.88
1 2018 Jakarta, INA 200m Butterfly 1:54.53
4 2018 Jakarta, INA 200m Individual Medley 1:57.13
1 2018 Jakarta, INA 400m Individual Medley 4:08.79
8 2018 Jakarta, INA 50m Breaststroke 28.00
3 2014 Incheon, KOR 400m Individual Medley 4:10.39
1 2014 Incheon, KOR 200m Butterfly 1:54.08
1 2014 Incheon, KOR 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay 7:06.74