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China was a dominant force in swimming at the 2013 FINA world championships, winning five gold medals to rank second behind the U.S. in terms of gold medals won. The country is sending 51 athletes to next month’s edition in Kazan, Russia, to try and improve on the nine total medals two years ago.
Sun Yang, who won three of those golds in Barcelona in 2013, is the star of the squad. Yang is looking to repeat as the Male Swimmer of the Meet and defend his world titles in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyles. He is also a major gold medal contender in the 200 freestyle, and he could become the first to win four freestyle medals in one world championships.
China’s other world champions from 2013 did not make the roster. Zhao Jing, the reigning world champion and world record holder in the women’s 50 backstroke; and Liu Zige, the reigning world champion and world record holder in the 200 butterfly, did not swim fast enough to qualify for this year’s team.
Ye Shiwen will be on the team, looking to return to the form that garnered her a sweep of the individual medleys at the 2012 Olympics. Ye is the world record holder in the 400 IM, and faltered in 2013. She led last year’s world ranking in the 400 IM and was fourth in the 200 IM, so she could be in the hunt for medals in Russia.
Another name to watch is Ning Zetao, who will put China in position to win a medal in all six freestyle distances in one gender. The last country to do that was Australia at the 1998 world championships, where the men took a medal in all freestyle races. Germany almost did it at the 2001 worlds, missing out in the women’s 200 free. Ning is in position for medals in the sprint freestyles in his debut world championships, especially in the 100 freestyle after a stunning 47.65 last fall.
Wang Shun is another medal possibility for the Chinese men. He comes in to the meet ranked seventh in the 200 IM, looking for China’s first worlds medal in that event.
Zhao Jing’s absence will be filled by Fu Yuanhui, who was second in the 50 back to Zhao in 2013. Lu Ying, the Asian record holder in the 50 butterfly and silver medalist in 2013, is also on the roster, as is Shen Duo. Shen had a breakout year in 2014, breaking the world junior record in the 100 free at the Youth Olympics.
China’s swimming world championship roster
Men
Hao Yun
He Jianbin
He Tiangi
Hu Yixuan
Huang Chaosheng
Li Guangyuan
Li Xiang
Li Yunqi
Li Zhuhao
Lin Yongqin
Mao Feilian
Ning Zetao
Shang Keyuan
Shi Weijia
Shi Yang
Sun Yang
Wang Kecheng
Wang Pudong
Wang Shun
Xu Jiayu
Xu Qiheng
Yang Zhixian
Yu Hexin
Zhang Jie
Zhang Qibin
Women
Ai Yanhan
Cao Yue
Jie Chen
Chen Xinyi
Fang Yi
Fu Yuanhui
Guo Junjun
He Yun
Liu Xiang
Liu Yaxin
Lu Ying
Yuhan Qiu
Shao Yiwen
Shen Duo
Shi Jinglin
Sun Meichen
Suo Ran
Tang Yutin
Wang Guoyue
Ye Shiwen
Zhang Xinyu
Zhang Yufei
Zhang Yuhan
Zhou Min
Zhou Yilin
Zhumeng Hui
I think Ariana Kukors holds the WR in W’s 200IM.
Yes, she does. Ye Shiwen is the world record holder in the 400 IM. Thanks for catching that.