Zhang Yufei, Qin Haiyang Look Sharp at Chinese Champs; Qualify For World Titles in Doha
Two of the biggest names in the sport produced impressive performances as the Chinese Championships got underway on Sunday, with Qin Haiyang and Zhang Yufei earning respective victories in the 100-meter breaststroke and 100 butterfly. The competition is serving as the selection meet for the 2024 World Championships in Doha in February.
Qin, who swept the breaststroke events at last summer’s World Champs in Fukuoka, cruised to gold in the 100 breast, clocking in at 58.40. Qin has been in the 57-mid range on multiple occasions and heads into the Olympic year as the favorite for gold in Paris. In qualifying for Doha, he had no trouble pulling away from the field and runnerup Sun Jiajun, who touched the wall in 59.71.
In the women’s 100 butterfly, Zhang controlled the race from the start and prevailed in 56.85, which was almost a second clear of multi-event star Yu Yiting (57.69). Zhang is the reigning world champion and will be part of a stacked field in the 100 fly at the Paris Games, where defending Olympic champ Maggie Mac Neil of Canada figures to be one of many contenders for the title.
Yu complemented her silver medal in the 100 butterfly with a title in the 200 individual medley, which she covered in 2:10.69. Meanwhile, the Chinese men’s distance ranks received a boost when 16-year-old Zhang Zhanshuo posted a winning time of 3:45.11 in the 400 freestyle. That outing was faster than the 3:46.54 of runnerup Fei Liwei.
Distance star Li Bingjie took care of the field in the women’s 400 freestyle, as her effort of 4:03.39 secured a comfortable triumph over Yang Peiqi (4:06.17). Wang Changhao was quickest in the men’s 59 butterfly, going 23.40.