Qin Haiyang Honored As Swimming World’s Pacific Rim Male Swimmer of the Year (Full Voting)
In China, they have dubbed breaststroke change-maker Qin Haiyang the country’s new “Aquaman” after the 24-year-old made the swimming world stand up and take notice in an unfathomable week in Fukuoka. It was a week that saw the softly spoken native of the Hunan Province in southwest China (whose name appropriately translates to “ocean”) ride one heck of a memorable wave at the World Championships in July.
Qin had suffered the indignity of being disqualified from his only event—the 200 meter breaststroke—at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021…only to return to the international stage in Japan two years later to wash away that disappointment and create his own golden dynasty: Qin became the first male to win a 50, 100 and 200-meter long course World Championship treble.
And two years on from that return from his first Olympics, Qin arrived home to a hero’s welcome—with four gold and a silver draped around his neck—lowering the 200 breaststroke world record to 2:05.48 for a final exclamation mark on his stunning breakthrough week.
He destroyed Australian Zac Stubblety-Cook’s world mark in the 200, leaving the Olympic champion in his wake following his two powerhouse displays to win the 50 and 100 breaststroke finals with times only bettered by British great Adam Peaty.
Qin’s accomplishments made him the unanimous choice as Swimming World’s Male Pacific Rim Swimmer of the Year.
After unleashing his powerful performances in the two sprint events, he swam away from Stubblety-Cook in the kind of fashion that turned the event on its head and turned a lot of heads.
Qin added a fourth gold in China’s mixed medley relay win and silver in their men’s medley relay to complete a meet that had a far-reaching effect on the swimming world—a powerful combination of speed and endurance never seen before.
“I said that my pre-race target was to win three breaststroke gold medals, and I am so proud that I did,” Qin said after breaking the men’s 200 breaststroke world record.
And it was a move to Beijing in 2022 to train with Coach Cui Dengrong in a program that focused on improving Qin’s core strength and explosiveness. While there, he swam alongside China’s premier female swimmer—Olympic and world champion butterflyer Zhang Yufei—which has played a major part in the former world junior record holder’s quantum leap to become China’s No. 1 male swimming star heading into Paris 2024.
Born in Shimen County, Changde, Hunan Province in May 1999, his family moved to Zhuzhou when Qin was just three—and he began swim training just two years later. At nine, Qin moved to a sports school in Shanghai and was handpicked to join the Navy’s swim team. Coach Ye Jin, who developed world champions such as Ning Zetao, was his coach then and nicknamed his new recruit, “Mr. Cool,” as he was a beat slower in most things, but had a natural aptitude for training concepts and technique.
Qin’s swimming career was almost derailed by that “stupid mistake” in Tokyo, where he won his heat of the 200 breaststroke only to be disqualified for an illegal kick after a turn.
But to the excitement of Chinese fans, Qin has now returned, and he has been tagged by the Chinese media as the country’s new “Aquaman”—a triple world champion to cheer on at the Paris Games after completing that golden sweep.
“The proudest thing for me this year is that I broke the (world) record; it’s a surprise for me. More importantly, I got more improvement than last year, (which has) really, really made me happy,” said Qin, who told the Chinese media that his best is yet to come.
“Tokyo was a big setback, but there’s no choice. I can only accept the outcome. It’s like a dance—there are movements that have to be on point. It is not easy, and it took a lot of effort.
“It remains in my heart, and it would be the biggest regret of my career if I cannot prove myself at the Olympics again…. I believe if all goes well, the 50 and 100 meter breaststroke world records will also be mine.
“But I think the biggest change is in my attitude—from treating swimming as a job to enjoyment.
“These (World Championship) gold medals can be a burden if you always think you are a world champion. I will treat every race as a new start and a new challenge because my rivals are also improving.
“I think I still have room for improvement. This is only the first step of my campaign preparing for the Paris Olympics.”
TOP 5 PACIFIC RIM (Men)
- QIN HAIYANG, China (12)…………………… 60
- Sam Short, Australia………………………………… 43
- Kyle Chalmers, Australia…………………………. 30
- Cameron McEvoy, Australia…………………….. 25
5T. Pan Zhanle, China…………………………………… 8
5T. Xu Jiayu, China………………………………………. 8
(First-place votes in parentheses)