Chinese Long Course Nationals: Zhu Qianwei, Chen Yin, Jiao Liaoyang, Wang Chengxiang Blister Pool in First Day

Reporting based on best available translations of times.

RIZHAO, China, August 29. THE first night of finals at the Chinese Long Course Nationals in Rizhao got off to a lightning fast start with some blazing fast times.

Zhu Qianwei won the women's 200 free title in 1:56.95 to jump into fifth in the world. Only Federica Pellegrini (1:55.45), Allison Schmitt (1:56.10), Dana Vollmer (1:56.47) and Camille Muffat (1:56.92) have been faster this year. Zhu was a part of China's world record setting women's 800 free relay squad at the 2009 World Championships. Tang Yi just missed her 14th-ranked season best of 1:57.64 set at the Mare Nostrum Barcelona stop with a second-place 1:57.83, while Liu Jing took third overall in 1:57.95. Liu improved to 18th in the world with the time. Notably, Olympic bronze medalist Pang Jiaying missed making the finale.

With fifth-ranked Wu Peng not racing this meet after competing at the Pan Pacific Championships, Chen Yin topped the men's 200 fly in 1:55.44 to move just behind Wu into sixth in the world. Chen had been seventh overall with a season best of 1:55.67 from China's nationals held in April. Zuo Ziqiao placed second in 1:58.54, while Xu Hang took third in 1:59.33.

Women's 200 fly world record holder and 100 fly Asian record holder Liu Zige is sitting out this year, including this meet and the Asian Games in November. That left the door wide open for Jiao Liaoyang to claim the 100 fly title in 57.73. Jiao, who trained in the U.S. for two months, just missed her sixth-ranked season best of 57.67 set in April. Lu Ying took second in 58.98, while Ling Shuyuan placed third in 59.16.

Wang Chengxiang dropped more than five seconds from his previous season best of 4:18.48 earlier this year to win the men's 400 IM with a stunning 4:13.09. That swim vaulted Wang up to seventh in the world rankings. The swim might have been even faster as some Chinese sources are posting Wang's time as a 4:07.21, which would be the top-ranked performance in the world ahead of Ryan Lochte's 4:07.59. Swimming World Chinese correspondent Christopher Chow doubts the credibility of those sources at this time, and Swimming World has since confirmed that the 4:07.21 is a misreported time. Huang Chaosheng finished second in 4:14.75, matching his 10th-ranked time from April, while Li Xiang took third in 4:17.27 to move into the top 25.

Randi Wang touched out Ji Liping, 31.30 to 31.31, in the women's 50 breast. Wang moved to 14th in the world, while Ji took 15th. Zhao Jin posted a 31.34 for third to move up to 16th in the world rankings.

While not all relay splits and members have been reported, a team from Shanghai (Zhou Yanxin, Sun Ye, Lu Ying, Tang Yi) won the women's 400 medley relay with a 4:05.31, while Jiangsu took second in 4:06.99. The Liberation Army foursome placed third in 4:07.58.

Special thanks to Christopher Chow for providing results.

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