World Championships, Day 5 Finals: Li Bingjie Steers China From Fifth To Gold In Women’s 4×200 Free Relay

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Li Bingjie: photo courtesy: Giorgio Perottino / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

World Championships, Day 5 Finals: Li Bingjie Steers China From Fifth To Gold In Women’s 4×200 Free Relay

A 1:54.59 third leg by Li Bingjie steered China from fifth to first as they powered to a clear victory in the 4×200 freestyle relay in Doha.

Great Britain held a 0.69 lead over second-placed Australia at halfway with China 2.70secs behind the leaders before Li dived into the water.

She’d withdrawn from the individual final on Wednesday, a move that paid dividends as Li tore through the field and handed over to Yang Peiqi with a 1.42secs lead.

China came home in 7:47.26 with Great Britain, anchored by backstroke specialist Medi Harris, second in 7:50.90 and Australia third in 7:51.41.

Erika Fairweather, the first New Zealander to win a world title with victory in the 400 free, led her quartet into first after the first 200 ahead of Australia and Hungary.

Shayna Jack steered Australia into the lead before Abbie Wood took over with a 1:56.65 second-leg split as the British quartet led at halfway, New Zealand in third with 14-year-old Gong Zhenqi handing over to Li a further two places back.

Li powered through with 16-year-old Yang anchoring the quartet to victory, a year after finishing third behind Australia and the USA, who finished 11th in prelims in Doha.

While Li’s was the fastest split of the field, Marrit Steenbergen – fresh from setting a 100 free Dutch record of 52.53 in the semis – also broke 1:55, going 1:54.89 on the third leg as the Netherlands finished seventh.

China splits:

1:57.65: Ai Yanhan

1:58.84: Gong Zhenqi

1:54.59: Li Bingjie

1:56.18: Yang Peiqi

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