By Terin Frodyma on SwimSwam
Japanese Olympian Mizuki Hirai will not be joining the Tennessee Volunteers women’s program in the fall of 2025 as originally planned. Due to some delays in student visa insurance under the Trump Administration, the 18-year-old’s collegiate debut will have to wait until this winter.
Hirai has built an already decorated international resume; she is the current long course World Junior Record Holder in the 100 butterfly (56.33), she finished 7th in the 100 fly (57.19) at the Paris Olympics at 17 years old, she has been a finalist at both short and long course world championships, most recently finishing 7th in Singapore in the 100 fly (56.83). In addition to her 100 fly finish, Hirai swam two lifetime bests at the 2025 World Championships in the 50 fly; her prelims swim of 25.64 qualified her for the semifinals (9th), following that up with another personal best swim of 25.63, missing the championship final by .01. We ranked Hirai #52 in our women’s Top 100 world rankings for 2025 back in January.
Her performance in Singapore did not live up to the world junior record holder’s expectations of reaching the podium, telling Sponichi Annex, “I didn’t reach my goal,” later mentioning, “I’m getting closer to the image I’ve been practicing, and I want to do that at the World Junior Championships.”
At the upcoming World Junior Swimming Championships in Otopeni, Romania, Hirai is set to compete in three individual events; she is the top seed in the 100 fly (1.66 seconds ahead of second-seeded Audrey Derivaux of the U.S.), 2nd in the 50 fly, and 4th in the 100 freestyle.
Even with the delay to her arrival for the Tennessee program, Hirai plans to compete in the World Cup Series, which will be held stateside in October. “I want to study English thoroughly in Japan so that I can go (study abroad). I’ve always wanted to compete in the World Cup, so I’ll do my best.”
Upon her arrival in Knoxville, Hirai will be the first Japanese swimmer to compete for the Lady Vols and the second Japanese student-athlete, regardless of sport, to compete for Tennessee.
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