High hopes for Chinese star swimmers to shine at worlds

 

Illustration: Liu Xiangya/Global Times

 

Gearing up for new challenges, Chinese swimmers continued on-site training sessions in Fukuoka, Japan, on Thursday after arriving a day earlier, all to prepare for the World Aquatics Championships that will start on Sunday. 

At the previous world championships in Budapest, Hungary, in 2022, China bagged only one gold medal thanks to Yang Junxuan's performance in the women's 200 meters freestyle, while the Chinese male swimmers yielded no victories. But this time hopes are high, especially in the men's competitions. 

Made up of a formidable squad of 41 swimmers, the Chinese team is particularly excited about the male swimmers who performed exceptionally well in the first half of the year. Rising stars Pan Zhanle and Qin Haiyang as well as Olympic gold medalist Wang Shun and world champion Xu Jiayu have all shown incredible progress, raising expectations for their performances in Fukuoka.

Pan has been a standout performer on a tear this year, achieving the world's best times in the 100 and 200 meters freestyle and even breaking the Asian record in the 100 meters freestyle. In Fukuoka, he is set to compete directly against Romanian world champion David Popovici and South Korean star Huang Sun-woo. Clocking a personal best of 47.22 seconds at the national championships in May, Pan has already surpassed Popovici's winning time of 47.58 seconds from last year's worlds. 

Qin is a strong contender in the men's 100 meters breaststroke. With a time of 57.93 seconds, he is the third swimmer in the world to break the 58-second barrier. 
With Britain's Olympic champion Adam Peaty, who is absent due to ongoing mental health issues, not competing, Qin has a golden opportunity to achieve a historic breakthrough to stand on the podium. His performance in the 200 meters breaststroke ranks him third in the world this year, giving him a shot at another medal at the worlds.

Xu Jiayu, the two-time world champion in the men's 100 meters backstroke, holds this year's world-leading time of 52.26 seconds. Apart from aiming for individual gold in Fukuoka, he also has a chance to compete for gold in the men's mixed medley relay.

Adding to the excitement is Wang, the 200 meters individual medley champion at the Tokyo Olympics. Decorated by several gold medals already in multiple events, Wang is still chasing his first long-course world title. Currently leading the world rankings in the 200 meters individual medley, the 29 years old Wang is determined to give his best for a longing title.

In addition to the male swimmers' breakthroughs in individual events, their performances have significantly strengthened China's chances in the freestyle and medley relays. 
Meanwhile, on the women's side, Olympic champion Zhang Yufei leads the charge. Seen as a role model, she participates in four individual events - the 50 meters freestyle, 50, 100 and 200 meters butterfly, as well as multiple relay events.

Long-distance freestyle female specialist Li Bingjie has opted out of the 200 meters to focus on the 400, 800 and 1,500 meters competitions. She is set to challenge reigning world champion Katie Ledecky of the US among others for a spot on the podium.

The two-time Olympic champion Ye Shiwen has returned to her top form this year, competing in the 200 meters breaststroke and 200 meters individual medley, aiming to prove her prowess in these events once again. 

Adding to the rising stars is 17-year-old Yu Yiting, a promising talent in the women's individual medley. Her impressive time of 2 minutes and 8.34 seconds in the 200 meters medley at the nationals made her the runner-up in last year's world championships.

The world championships is not only a test for the Chinese team's squad depth for the Paris Olympics, but also a valuable opportunity for Chinese swimmers to compete against the best of the best in the world. 

Gaining invaluable race experience and leaving a lasting mark on the global swimming stage will allow them to progress further.