World University Games: China’s Zhang Yufei Takes Down 10-Year-Old Games Record in 100 Butterfly
The fifth day of the World University Games featured a handful of opportunities for Italy to make a dent on the medals table. It also included the latest appearances by recently crowned world champions Zhang Yufei and Qin Haiyang on China. That duo has excelled through the first four days, with additional titles expected.
Here is a look at the Day Five events.
Men’s 800 Freestyle (Final)
Italy opened the session with a gold-bronze effort, spearheaded by a victory from Matteo Lamberti. Posting a time of 7:54.12, Lamberti finished more than three seconds ahead of Japan’s Kaito Tabuchi, who won the silver medal in 7:57.37. Lamberti’s countryman Ivan Giovannoni was the bronze medalist in 8:00.00.
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Women’s 200 Freestyle (Semifinals)
Italy’s Giulia D’Innocenzo was the sole swimmer to break the two-minute barrier, going 1:59.96 to take the top seed for the final. She was followed by Amy Tang of the United States, who touched the wall in 2:00.27. Qualifying in the No. 3 spot was Leonie Kullman in 2:00.49.
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Men’s 100 Butterfly (Semifinals)
China’s Chen Juner and Poland’s Jakub Majerski were narrowly separated following the semifinals of the 100 butterfly. Chen turned in a time of 51.73 for the top seed, with Majerski right behin in 51.83. Also going sub-52 was Poland’s Adrian Jaskiewicz, who was clocked in 51.93.
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Women’s 50 Backstroke (Semifinals)
Poland showed its strength in the one-lap dash of backstroke, as the top spots for the final went to Adela Piskorska and Paulina Peda. Piskorska and Peda recorded respective marks of 28.18 and 28.59 to carry momentum into the race for the podium. The third spot was claimed by Italy’s Federica Toma and American Anya Mostek, who posted matching times of 28.70.
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Men’s 200 Backstroke (Semifinals)
The United States’ Keaton Jones moved through the Round of 16 with the top time, going 1:59.29. Jones will be challenged in the final by Japan’s Kodai Nishiono, who managed a swim of 1:59.42. Korea’s Kim Seongju also figures to be in contention after posting a time of 1:59.61.
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Women’s 200 Breaststroke (Final)
In a rematch of the final of the 100 breaststroke, Lithuania’s Kotryna Teterevkova again clipped South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett. Teterevkova took the lead at the halfway point and held on in a tight battle to the wall. The Lithuanian touched in 2:22.86, followed by Corbett in 2:22.99. The bronze medal went to China’s Zhu Leiju in 2:28.71.
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Men’s 100 Freestyle (Final)
Sitting in third place at the turn, Poland’s Kamil Sieradzki used a superb back half to overhaul the field and capture the gold medal in 49.08. Sieradzki was challenged by Italy’s Giovanni Carraro, who earned the silver medal in 49.18. There was a tie for the bronze medal between Lucas Martins Costa Peixoto and Poland’s Mateusz Chowaniec in 49.34.
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Women’s 100 Butterfly (Final)
Fresh off a world championship in Fukuoka, China’s Zhang Yufei put together a Games record en route to the gold medal at the World University Games. Zhang produced a swim of 56.57, which wiped out the previous record of Canadian Katerine Savard from 2013. Savard’s record stood at 57.63. The silver medal went to South African Erin Gallagher, who went 57.64, with the bronze taken by Italian Giulia D’Innocenzo in 58.33.
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Men’s 50 Breaststroke (Semifinals)
Reigning world champion Qin Haiyang of China bettered his morning Games record by covering one lap of breaststroke in 26.38, which was more than a second clear of the 27.55 of Italy’s Ludovico Viberti. Qin first set the record during prelims, where he clocked in at 26.44. Qin is the No. 2 performer in the history of the event, on the strength of a personal best of 26.20. That time was posted in the semifinals of the World Champs.
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Mixed 400 Freestyle Relay (Final)
China had no trouble winning the mixed freestyle relay as the foursome of Chen Juner, Lin Tao, Li Bingjie and Zhang Yufei stormed to a Games record time of 3:25.38. Chen opened up the relay with a split of 48.40 and China never looked back in defeating Italy, which was timed in 3:26.75. Bronze went to Brazil in 3:27.82.
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