As the Prefectural Tournament draws closer, the Iwatobi High Swim Club starts improving their swim times. Elsewhere, Rin awakens in a frenzied state after having a nightmare involving Haruka and his younger father. Afterwards at training, Aiichiro Nitori grows upset that Rin would limit himself to the freestyle event when he possesses far greater potential. While Aiichiro helps Rin train that night, the former laments his inability to participate in the 100m event, but Rin assures him that his endurance is better suited for the 400m race. Afterwards, Rin reveals to him the story of his late father. Rin explains that his father was the best athlete in the past Iwatobi Swim Club and aspired to become an Olympic swimmer. However his dream was never realized after he settled down to married life as a fisherman and was hence killed when a typhoon struck his boat late one summer. Following his father's death, Rin adopted his dream, but explains that Haruka is the only thing standing in his way of moving forward as an athlete, since he lost to Haruka despite all his training in addition to their differing reasons for swimming. Finally on the day of the tournament, Gō reveals that both Haruka and Rin are competing in the fourth freestyle heat and are in neighboring lanes due to having similar qualifying times as explained by Makoto. As Haruka leaves to get ready he encounters Rin at the lockers where their rivalry continues. Finally as the race begins, Rin immediately starts pulling ahead of Haruka in the first leg. Haruka starts catching up as they make the turn into the second leg and they both seem to be neck and neck towards the finish. However much to his friends' shock, Haruka places second with Rin being the victor and advances to the next round. As Rin exits the pool, he declares that his win means that he will never swim with Haruka again, leaving the latter in utter shock.
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