Xu Jiayu Headlines Day Six At Chinese Nationals

Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch

Xu Jiayu continues to rise in the backstroking ranks on the way to possibly giving China its first world championship appearance in the event later this year. The 19-year-old won the 200 back handily with a 1:56.26, putting him third in the world behind very recent swims by Japan’s Ryosuke Irie (1:54.62) and Australia’s Mitch Larkin (1:55.52). With every country but the United States selecting their world championship team members this spring, it’s likely that Xu will go into worlds ranked in the top eight.

Though China’s men’s team has done well in distance freestyle at the world championships, scoring golds by Sun Yang and Zhang Lin in the past three editions, backstroke has been lacking. But Xu could make history in Russia in August.

Also looking to score a place in the world finals is Shi Jinglin with her 2:22.08 in the 200 breaststroke. It puts her fourth in the world in an event that is wide open for at least the world championship bronze, and six seconds ahead of her domestic competition.

Shen Duo won the women’s 100 free with a 54.31, about five tenths off her junior world record time of 53.84. Joining Shen under 54 seconds in the 100 free final was Zhu Menghui with a 54.55. Li Shiang won the men’s 200 breast with a 2:10.59, just ahead of the 2:10.77 by Mao Feilian.

Li Zhuhao had a strong 100 butterfly swim in the semifinals, posting a 51.82 that puts him sixth in the world and six tenths behind Zhou Jiawei’s national record of 51.24 from 2009. Ning Zetao posted the fastest time in the men’s 50 free semifinals with a 22.30.

Fu Yuanhui comfortably qualified for the women’s 200 back final with a 2:12.02 as the top seed, while Lu Ying, the world championship silver medalist in the 50 fly, posted a 26.09 to qualify first for finals.

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