Zhang Yufei Blitzes 200 Fly Field

Photo Courtesy: Xinhua/Youth Olympic Games

China’s Zhang Yufei won China’s third straight gold medal in the 200 fly at the Asian Games with a 2:06.61. Zhang’s time would be the second fastest time of any of the major meets. A lot of big names like Mireia Belmonte and Katinka Hosszu have been off their game this summer so that has opened the door for more swimmers like Zhang and Great Britain’s Alys Thomas to shine.

Zhang’s time was not the second fastest of the year as American Hali Flickinger was a 2:05 at US Nationals but only managed a 2:07.35 at Pan Pacs.

Zhang was more than two full seconds ahead of the Japanese duo of Sachi Mochida (2:08.72) and Suzuka Hasegawa (2:08.80) as both swimmers swam slower than they did at Pan Pacs earlier this month. Korea’s An Sehyeon, who had a breakout 2017, finished off the podium in 2:08.83. She was fourth at Worlds last summer with a 2:06.

Singapore’s Jing Quah finished fifth at 2:12.01. She is the reigning SEC champion in this event as she is about to be a sophomore at Texas A&M.

China’s Yu Liuyan (2:12.61), Vietnam’s Le Thao (2:13.93) and Indonesia’s Adinda Dewi (2:14.54) also placed in the top eight.

This is also China’s fifth gold medal in the 200 fly at the Asian Games as Zhang joins the likes of Wang Xiaohong (1990), Liu Limin (1994) and Jiao Liuyang (2010, 2014) as winners in the event for China.

Zhang Yufei, CHN, 2:06.61
Sachi Mochida, JPN, 2:08.72
Suzuka Hasegawa, JPN, 2:08.80
An Sehyeon, KOR, 2:08.83
Jing Quah, SGP, 2:12.01
Yu Liuyan, CHN, 2:12.61
Le Thao, VIE, 2:13.93
Adinda Dewi, INA, 2:14.54

2018 Virtual World Championships

Alys Thomas, GBR, 2:05.45, Commonwealth Games
Zhang Yufei, CHN, 2:06.61, Asian Games
Boglarka Kapas, HUN, 2:07.13, Europeans
Svetlana Chimrova, RUS, 2:07.33, Europeans
Hali Flickinger, USA, 2:07.35, Pan Pacs
Laura Taylor, AUS, 2:07.39, Commonwealth Games
Sachi Mochida, JPN, 2:07.66, Pan Pacs
Franziska Hentke, GER, 2:07.75, Europeans

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