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Junior world record holder Mizuki Hirai has announced her commitment to Tennessee, she announced via Instagram. She will arrive there in the fall of 2025.
“I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Tennessee!! I am incredibly grateful for the support of my family, coaches and friends.
Let’s go, Vols!”
Hirai has just finished competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Hirai swam the women’s 100m butterfly in the preliminary heats in 56.71 seconds, the second fastest time of the morning, to secure a place in the semifinals. She then swam 56.80 seconds to finish seventh in the semifinals, and finished seventh in the final with a time of 57.19 seconds.
In addition to her individual 100m butterfly, she also swam for Japan in the women’s 4x100m medley relay and the mixed 4x100m medley relay. The women’s relay finished 5th in the final and Hirai had her fastest split time of 56.27.
Earlier this summer, Hirai set a junior world record in the girls’ 100m butterfly when she swam a time of 56.33 in late June, beating the official record of 56.43, which Claire Curzan of the USA swam in 2021. Curzan was faster with a time of 56.20 in April 2021, although that time was never confirmed.
Hirai’s best time LCM time converted to SCY:
The Tennessee women finished 2nd at the 2024 SEC Championships and tied for 4th at the NCAAs. The team was led by rising senior Josephine Fuller.
Hirai has the potential to make a big impression based on her best converted time in the 100-meter butterfly. No swimmer was under the 50-second mark in the 100-meter butterfly at the SECs. Hirai’s best converted time would also have been No. 2 at the 2024 NCAAs, behind only Gretchen Walsh who swam an NCAA record of 47.42.
Hirai will arrive next fall as a member of the Class of 2029 along with Lilly Robertson, Nicole Zettel, Avery Luedke, Mere Whelehan, Amelia Mason and Alyssa Claborn. Hirai is notably the class’s first international recruit.
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