Japan Sweeps 2 Medals in Men's 400m Medley

The second day of the Rio Olympics dawned with Japan grabbing Gold and Bronze medals in men's 400 individual medley as Kosuke Hagino and Daiya placed first and third in a single event for the first time in 60 years. In the Summer Olympics in Melbourne in 1956, Masaru Furukawa and Masahiro Yoshimura won gold and silver medals in men's 200m breast stroke.

Aquele momento que você percebe que ganhou o #ouro. @haginokosuke, campeão Olímpico nos 400m medley no #Rio2016  pic.twitter.com/O4619frXzq

— Rio 2016 (@Rio2016) 2016年8月7日

Seto led the first 50 meters way ahead with Hagino trailing 2-3 meters behind. It looked as though Seto had it all made and many anticipated the two will end up first and second with whichever ahead of the other. Midway in the breast stroke the American swimmer C.Kalisz closed up fast on Seto and overtook him with 5 meters to the turn.

The freestyle stroke turned out a dead heat between Hagino and Kalisz with Seto trailing 5 meters behind. At the last turn Kalisz, a foot taller than Hagino, inched closer behind Hagino and it seemed as he would overtake Hagino at 20 meters to the goal.

Hegino later recalled that moment he had felt Kalisz closing up on him and dumped "what little left in me" to keep ahead of the formidable American. Kalisz eventually ran out of his pep and finished second.

Seto told in the interview after the race that he was "not yet good enough to challenge Hagino" and pledged he would " be sure to revenge four years afterwards".

At the end of the day, Hagino lived up to his own brassy words and, as he said in his own interview, he had more events ahead to battle with Seto. Quite a rivalry, really.

Meanwhile, Judo has rough days ahead as Japan's hopefuls in the two light-weight divisions had to settle for bronze medals. I'm bit afraid the nightmare at London might still be casting gloomy shadows. (Nathan Shiga)