Michael Miller, Kouki Watanabe, Maria Batallones, and Piper Raho pose for a photo at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
NMI Swimming Facebook page
THE NMI continues to make waves internationally as swimmers Michael Miller, Kouki Watanabe, and Maria Batallones set new personal bests — and a new national record — during their debut at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The event started on July 11 and will end on Aug. 3.
Sixteen-year-old Michael Miller, competing in his first 50m world championships, swam the Men’s 50m Butterfly in 27.64 seconds — improving his previous best by over three seconds. He posted a reaction time of 0.66 seconds, giving him a strong start that fueled his confident swim.
Joining Miller was 17-year-old Kouki Watanabe, who also achieved a personal best in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, clocking in at 1:08.90.
Watanabe opened with a solid first 50m split of 32.42 seconds and recorded the fastest reaction time in his heat (0.63 seconds).
According to an article by The Reporters’ Academy, although satisfied with his performance, Watanabe admitted he had hoped to break the national record (around 1:07) but felt his energy dipped in the final stretch.
On Day 2, another NMI swimmer, Maria Batallones, added her name to the highlight reel by setting a new national record.
Seventeen-year-old Batallones broke her own national mark in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke, finishing in 1:17.38 — over two seconds faster than her previous best.
