🌟 When you think of backstroke swimming, China's Xu Jiayu is a name that shines brightly! At 28, this swimming superstar is setting his sights on Olympic glory in Paris, and we couldn't be more excited. 🥇
Despite a less-than-stellar debut at the London 2023 Olympics, Xu bounced back like a champ. He snagged a silver medal in the 100m backstroke at Rio 2016 and kept the momentum going with another silver in the 4x100m mixed medley at the Tokyo Olympics. Talk about a comeback kid! 💪
Fast forward to the Hangzhou Asian Games, where Xu absolutely crushed it! He grabbed gold in the men's 100m backstroke final with an impressive time of 52.05 seconds. That not only earned him the top spot but also the season's best performance in the event. 🔥
At China's National Swimming Championships in April—also the Olympic trials—Xu proved he's still got it. He won the 100m backstroke with a time of 52.39 seconds, ranking fourth globally for the year. He was just a hair behind American swim star Ryan Murphy, who clocked in at 52.22 seconds. The race to Paris is heating up! 🌊
With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, all eyes are on Xu Jiayu. Will he clinch that coveted gold? One thing's for sure: we can't wait to watch him make waves! 🚀
Reference(s):
China's veteran backstroker Xu Jiayu eyes Olympic glory in Paris
cgtn.com
