With a new king crowned in breaststroke and the butterfly queen reigning as usual,China’s swimming talents have thrown down the challenge to their Olympic rivals.
At the halfway point of the World Aquatics Championships’ swimming gala on Wednesday night, China had scooped an impressive four gold medals — just one shy of its best haul over the past decade — to rank second on the medal table behind powerhouse Australia in Fukuoka, Japan.
The rising tide, fueled by Olympic champion Zhang Yufei’s dominance in the butterfly and men’s breaststroke standout Qin Haiyang’s breakout exploits, is encouraging for Team China’s goal of making an even bigger mark at the Paris Games the following summer.
Qin, who is dominating the Fukuoka competition, has already won two breaststroke medals (100 and 50 meters), with a third one in his grasp.
Should he touch first in Friday night’s 200m final, Qin would become the first man ever to collect all three breaststroke even titles at a single long-course worlds — a feat that would see him join China’s pantheon of all-time swimming greats.
Even if his hat-trick bid comes up short, Qin now finds himself with a target on his back for next year’s Olympics.
”This is just the beginning, the first step toward my goal for the Paris Olympics next year,” said Qin after winning the 100 on Monday in 57.69 seconds, an Asian record and the second-fastest time in history (after Adam Peaty’s 56.88-second world record).
”I came here targeting all three golds knowing that I’ve become a better swimmer technically and mentally after years of hard training. I hope I’ll be able to carry this winning momentum to Paris to peak at the right time on the biggest stage.”
British swimmer Peaty, a two-time Olympic champion who also owns the 50m world record (25.95), is currently taking a break from competitions, citing mental health reasons.
Qin has made no secret of his ambition to take the Briton’s throne.
“Yes, that’s always my target and I am pushing toward it as hard as I can,” Qin said when asked whether Peaty’s world record was in his sights after triumphing in the 50 final in 26.29 on Wednesday.
Coming into Fukuoka with a 50m personal best of 26.63, Qin clocked an Asian record 26.20 in the semis — the seventh-fastest time in history behind Peaty’s six best results.
In the 200 final on Friday, Australia’s world-record holder Zac Stubblety-Cook appears to still be the man to beat after the reigning Olympic champion topped the time sheet in Thursday’s heats with 2:08.98,0.88 seconds faster than Qin’s fourth-placed preliminary result.
GO ! GO ! GO !
Wish each athletes get successful results.
Post time: Aug-04-2023