2023 CHINESE NATIONALS
Day four of the 2023 Chinese Nationals competition did not disappoint as we saw just the second man ever from the nation dip under the 1:45 barrier in the men’s 200m free.
Pan Zhanle, the 18-year-old who already scored a 47.22 100m free Asian Record here, ripped a winning effort of 1:44.65 to take the 2free. He came within striking distance of the longstanding national record of 1:44.39 Olympian Sun Yang put on the books in 2017.
You can read more about Pan’s 200m free and watch race video here.
Olympic champion Zhang Yufei also made her presence known, reaping gold in the women’s 100m butterfly.
The 25-year-old produced a time of 56.48 to lead the way with Yu Yiting and Wang Yichun also landing on the podium. Yu snagged silver in 57.51 while Wang bagged bronze in 57.85.
As for Zhang, she is the reigning Olympic silver medalist in this event, having logged a time of 55.64 behind gold medalist Maggie MacNeil of Canada’s 55.59 there in Tokyo. Zhang followed up with a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships, posting a time of 56.41 in Budapest.
Zhang owns the Chinese national record in this event with the 55.62 she clocked in 2020. Her effort this evening represents a new season-best, slicing .10 off of the 56.58 she registered at the Chinese Spring Championships in March. She remains #2 in the world on the season.
| 2 | Zhang Yufei |
CHN | 56.58 | 03/22 |
| 3 | Regan Smith |
USA | 56.60 | 03/04 |
| 4 | Louise Hansson |
SWE | 57.00 | 04/14 |
| 5 | Wang Yichun |
CHN | 57.05 | 03/22 |
Yu doubled up on her 100m fly silver with a gold in the 400m IM. The 17-year-old topped the podium with a result of 4:35.61, representing the sole competitor to get under the 4:40 barrier.
Her time checks in as a lifetime best, beating the 4:35.94 she produced in 2021. Her effort tonight would have grabbed the bronze at the 2022 World Championships.
Yu now inserts herself into the world’s rankings in slot #5 on the season.
| 2 | Katie Grimes |
USA | 4:31.81 | 04/15 |
| 3 | Jenna Forrester |
AUS | 4:35.05 | 04/18 |
| 4 | Freya Colbert |
GBR | 4:35.50 | 04/04 |
| 5 | Sara Franceschi |
ITA | 4:35.98 | 04/13 |
The women’s 100m back saw Wang Xueer grab gold in a time of 58.99. Runner-up status went to Wan Letian in 59.19 and Peng Xuwei was the 3rd place finisher in 59.32.
This marks Wang’s first-ever outing under the 59-second barrier, as her previous PB rested at the 59.55 put up in 2020. She now becomes China’s 4th fastest performer in history in this 1back event.
Top 5 Chinese Women’s LCM 100 Back Performers
- Fu Yuahui – 58.72, 2017
- Zhao Jing – 58.94, 2010
- Wang Xueer – 58.99, 2023
- Gao Chang – 59.04, 2009
- Peng Xuwei – 59.21, 2021
Wang ranks 5th in the world on the season with her performance.
| 2 | Regan Smith |
USA | 57.90 | 04/14 |
| 3 | Mollie O’Callaghan |
AUS | 58.42 | 04/18 |
| 4 | Ingrid Wilm |
CAN | 58.80 | 03/28 |
| 5 | Kylie Masse |
CAN | 59.00 | 03/28 |
Additional Notes
- Wang Changhao scored a winning mark of 51.73 to just edge out Sun Jiajun in the men’s 100m fly. Sun settled for silver in 51.74 while Chen Juner also landed on the podium in 51.88 for bronze. Wang owns a lifetime best of 51.45 in this event while, remarkably, both Sun and Chen tied their previous best-ever swims in this race.
- The women’s 100m breast saw Yang Chang get to the wall first in a mark of 1:07.80.
