LumaLanes Performance of the Week: Xu Ties Asian Games Record For 100 Back Gold

Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

This week’s Performance Of The Week, sponsored by LumaLanes, goes to Xu Jiayu for his championship record performance in the 100 back at the 2018 Asian Games.

Swimming on the first night of finals in Jakarta, Xu put up a time of 52.34 in the 100 backstroke to tie Ryosuke Irie’s 2014 Asian Games record and earn the gold medal in the event. Xu was out well ahead of the rest of the field in 25.16, and although he faded a bit in the closing meters of the race he was still able to pull off a win and hold off the defending champion Irie, who finished second in 52.53.

That was the fourth straight gold medal for the Chinese on the first night of the Asian Games and Xu’s time will stand as the second fastest time in the world this year behind Ryan Murphy’s sub-52 second swim from Pan Pacs.

Xu memorably beat out American Ryan Murphy and Matt Grevers at the 2017 World Championships last summer, finishing in 52.34, earning the World title one year after finishing second in Rio. Earlier in 2017, Xu missed Murphy’s world record by 0.01 seconds with a 51.86 at Chinese Nationals. With Xu and Murphy both just turning 23 (Xu’s birthday was August 19th, while Murphy’s was July 2nd), expect these two to continue to push each other internationally heading into the 2020 Olympic Games.

Congratulations Xu Jiayu on earning Swimming World’s Performance of the Week!

Special Thanks to LumaLanes for sponsoring Swimming World’s Performance of the Week.

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