Cam McEvoy Bound for China Open; Meet Will Feature Multiple Olympic Champions and Medalists
Next month’s China Open and National Spring Championships won’t just include some of the top swimmers from the home nation. A superb collection of international athletes are also expected to race in Shenzhen, which will serve as the meet host from March 19-22.
From a home-country perspective, the competition is expected to include the likes of Olympic champion Pan Zhanle and rising 13-year-old Yu Zidi, who qualified for three finals as a pre-teen at last summer’s World Championships. Other Chinese stars expected to compete are distance-freestyle standouts Zhang Zhanshuo and Li Bingjie.
This year, the meet will add significant international flavor to bolster the field, with Australian Cam McEvoy among the headliners. The reigning Olympic and world champion in the 50 freestyle, McEvoy will see action in his prime event, where he is chasing the longstanding world record of 20.91, held by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo since 2009.
Aussie Kyle Chalmers, a three-time Olympic medalist in the 100 freestyle, has also been announced as a participant and will likely clash with Pan in the 100 free. Meanwhile, Italy’s Thomas Ceccon and Switzerland’s Noe Ponti will take part in the meet, which should generate some fast early-season times. Ceccon, the reigning Olympic champ in the 100 backstroke, will be joined by countryman Nicolo Martinenghi, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the 100 breaststroke.
The United States will send a strong contingent to Shenzhen, including Jack Alexy and Regan Smith. They will be joined by the UVA crew of Gretchen Walsh, Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh.