{"id":578202,"date":"2024-02-15T11:12:33","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T18:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=578202"},"modified":"2024-02-15T13:18:17","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T20:18:17","slug":"world-championships-day-5-finals-li-bingjie-steers-china-from-fifth-to-gold-in-womens-4x200-free-relay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-day-5-finals-li-bingjie-steers-china-from-fifth-to-gold-in-womens-4x200-free-relay\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships, Day 5 Finals: Li Bingjie Steers China From Fifth To Gold In Women’s 4×200 Free Relay"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships, Day 5 Finals: Li Bingjie Steers China From Fifth To Gold In Women’s 4×200 Free Relay<\/h4>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n

She’d withdrawn from the individual final on Wednesday, a move that paid dividends as Li tore through the field and handed over to Yang Peiqi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

China came home in 7:47.26 with Great Britain, anchored by backstroke specialist Medi Harris<\/strong>, second in 7:50.90 and Australia third in 7:51.41.<\/p>\n

Erika Fairweather<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

Shayna Jack<\/strong> steered Australia into the lead before Abbie Wood<\/strong> 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<\/strong> handing over to Li a further two places back.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

While Li’s was the fastest split of the field, Marrit Steenbergen<\/strong> – 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.<\/p>\n

China splits:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1:57.65: Ai Yanhan<\/p>\n

1:58.84: Gong Zhenqi<\/p>\n

1:54.59: Li Bingjie<\/p>\n

1:56.18: Yang Peiqi<\/p>\n

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