Qin Haiyang, Aiming for Bounce-Back 2025, Goes 58.66 in 100 Breast
After a down performance by his standards at the Paris Olympics, Qin Haiyang is starting 2025 strong with quick times in both breaststroke events at the Chinese Spring Championships.
Qin, 25, went 2:07.44 to win the 200 breast at the meet in Qingdao. He also won the 100 breast in 58.66.
“My performance is similar to where I was in 2023 when I was approaching my peak,” Qin told The South China Morning Post, indicating his goal in the 200 was to break 2:09. “It’s a good start and a sign that I’m regaining my best condition.”
Qin had swept all three breaststroke events at 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, to go with mixed medley relay gold and men’s medley relay silver. He then went on to dominate the World University Games. It setting him up as the favorite for the next year’s Olympics in Paris. But he never delivered on that promise with an uneven Olympic performance.
He finished a disappointing seventh in the 100 breast at the Paris Olympics (his time this week was faster than the 59.03 used by Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy to win gold). He failed to even make the finals in the 200 breast in Paris, finishing tied for 10th in semifinals. Qin’s time in Qingdao would’ve made the podium, with bronze going to Caspar Corbeau of the Netherlands in 2:07.90.
Qin did win gold in the men’s medley relay in a historic triumph for China, plus silver in the mixed medley relay at the Olympics. He recovered from Paris to win gold medals in the 50 and 100 breast at the 2024 World Short-Course Championships in Budapest last December.
Qin is aiming his training toward the 2025 World Championships, to be held in Singapore. He’s been working with Australian coach Michael Bohl for the last two months, after Bohl joined the Chinese Swimming Association in an advisory role.
“Last year, I placed too much emphasis on physical training, which didn’t translate well into my performances,” Qin said. “I used to think too much before competitions, but now Bohl always says ‘keep it simple’ before the race. It helps me a lot.”