体坛英语新闻：Kitajima wins men's 200 breastroke gold at Japan Open

OSAKA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima had a difficult win in men's 200m breaststroke on the last day of the Japan Open 2011 Swimming Championships at Namihaya-Dome in Kadoma of Osaka.

However, it was still the first time for him to clinch the gold medal in the three-day event after he lost to Ryo Tateishi in the men's 100m breaststroke on the first day.

Tateishi became his major rival again and led for the first 150 meters before Kitajima caught up and took the lead in the last 50 meters, clocking in the winning time of 2:11.43, which was almost 4 seconds away from his Japanese record.

Junior high school student Kanako Watanabe displayed an impressive swim in front of the arena.

After breaking the junior national record in the women's 100m and 50m breaststroke on the first two days, she won another gold medal in the 200m breaststroke on Sunday, breaking the record three times in a row.

Two more records were renewed on Sunday. Megumi Higuchi and Miki Uchida won women's 200m individual medley and women's 50m freestyle respectively, with record-breaking winning times.

Swimmers who are to represent Japan at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, had stable performance in today's events.

Aya Terakawa, the Japanese record-holder, won the women's 50m backstroke in 27.97 seconds, her second gold medal after winning the 100m backstroke.

Yayoi Matsumoto seized the gold medal for the women's 50m freestyle in 25.51 seconds. Yuka Kato touched the wall first in a time of 58.59 seconds in women's 50m butterfly, and Takuro Fujii won the men's 100m butterfly, clocking 52.18 seconds.

The Japan Open was held from May 20-22 as a tuneup for the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China in July, which will attract 11 Japanese swimmers.