In a thrilling showdown at the National Swimming Championships in Shenzhen, the Chinese mainland's Guangdong Province, world champion Xu Jiayu and record-holder Qin Haiyang stole the spotlight. Representing Zhejiang Province, the 29-year-old Xu Jiayu led from the start in the men’s 200-meter backstroke final. Despite a slight dip in the last 50 meters, he powered through to finish at 1:57.56, leaving Guangdong’s Tao Guan trailing by nearly three seconds after 150 meters, while Yu Jingming claimed a strong second.
The action continued in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke final where the 26-year-old Qin Haiyang, a world record holder, dominated the race from the opening lap. Clocking in at 2:07.57, he secured gold and pushed world champion Dong Zhihao into second place at 2:09.98. Both stellar swimmers are now gearing up for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore this July!
The women’s 200-meter breaststroke turned up the drama when Olympic champion Ye Shiwen, a crowd favorite, was challenged early on by Yu Jingyao. In a nail-biting finale, 15-year-old Lyu Qinyao surged past a deficit in the final 50 meters to clinch the gold with a time of 2:25.81.
The championships wrapped up on a high note with the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. A powerhouse quartet from Zhejiang—world champions Pan Zhanle, Wang Shun, and Sun Yang, alongside Asian Games gold medalist Fei Liwei—blitzed the course with a time of 7:12.76, earning veteran Sun Yang his first gold of the meet.
This electrifying display of skill and endurance is sending waves of excitement through fans and promises more riveting action on the global stage. Stay tuned for more updates as these dynamic swimmers continue to make headlines! 🏊♂️🔥
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Xu Jiayu, Qin Haiyang dominate China's National Swimming Championships
cgtn.com
