Zhang Yufei Goes 24.50 For Asian Games 50 Free Record; Qin Haiyang Eases Through 200 Breast Prelims
The penultimate day of the Asian Games dawned with the pool at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Aquatic Sports Arena awash with Chinese gold.
The hosts leads the medal table with 19 golds, 16 silvers and six bronze medals for a total of 41.
Japan is second (3, 8, 10) with Korea third (3, 2, 8).
Here’s how the fifth day of prelims at the 2022 Asian Games unfolded.
Women’s 50m Freestyle
Zhang Yufei – with four golds from as many events so far at the Asian Games – continued her record-breaking form as she went 24.50 for a new Games standard.
It cut 0.03 from the previous Games record of 24.53 set by Rikako Ikee at the 2018 edition, the Japanese swimmer finishing 10th in 25.68 for second reserve.
Siobhan Haughey – winner of the 100/200 free double in Hangzhou – was the only other woman inside 25secs in 24.94.
Men’s 50m Butterfly
There was a second Asian Games record in as many races as Baek Inchul of Korea went 23.39 to take 0.07 from Shi Yang‘s 23.46 that stood since 2014.
Teong Tzeng Wei booked lane four in 23.47 with 0.59 separating the field and Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan set to be represented in the final.
Women’s 200m Breaststroke
Ye Shiwen leads the way in 2:27.09 ahead of Korea’s Kwon Sehyun (2:28.78).
Men’s 200m Breaststroke
Qin Haiyang has been relentless across the breaststroke events this year.
The Chinese athlete claimed an unprecedented clean sweep at the Fukuoka worlds, a feat he repeated a fortnight later at the World University Games in Chengdu.
Having already won the 100m, Qin – who set a WR of 2:05.48 in Fukuoka – eased through in 2:11.76 for lane four alongside Mak Sai Ting Adam of Hong Kong (2:12.40).
Also through were Japanese duo Ippei Watanabe and Shoma Sato.
Men’s 4x100m Free Relay
Korea booked lane four in 3:16.96 alongside China who clocked 3:17.17, Singapore next through in 3:18.21.
Also represented in Thursday’s final will be Japan, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Women’s 4x200m Free Relay
China lead the way in 8:01.02 ahead of Japan (8:04.37) and then a gulf to Hong Kong (8:18.94) – albeit one that can draft in the likes of Haughey.