2021 Chinese Summer Nats Day 4: He Junyi Just 0.02 Over 100 Free FINA A Cut

2021 CHINESE SUMMER NATIONALS

• May 31 – June 6, 2021
• Long Course Meters (50m)
• Olympic Qualifying Meet
• Results via @CHNswim_fan On Twitter

Day 4 of 6 of 2021 Chinese Summer Nationals has concluded with no new Olympic qualifiers. As the women raced the 200 butterfly and 800 freestyle and the men raced the 200 backstroke and 100 freestyle, nobody managed to crack the FINA A standard. The closest anyone got was He Junyi who swam a 48.59 in the 200 free prelim which was just 0.02 off the required 48.57. Junyi followed that swim up with a 48.72 to take gold in the final.

Women’s 200 Butterfly – Final

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 2:08.43
• Chinese National Record: 2:01.81 – Liu Zige (2009)

Top 3:

1. Yin Jiahe 2:11.51
2. Qian Xinan 2:12.85
3. Xia Zixuan 2:12.91

In the women’s 200 fly, it likely would have taken a 2:07.03 in order to earn consideration for the Olympic team considering that at the first Trials meet Zhang Yufei and Yu Liyan hit a 2:05.44 and 2:07.03, respectively to qualify for the Olympics. Those swims were under the 2:08.43 FINA A; a cut that no one managed to swim under the second time around.

Yin Jiahe took gold at the 2021 Chinese Summer Nationals with a 2:11.51 and was followed by Qian Xinan‘s 2:12.85. While it was a solid race for the gold medal, they both trailed the FINA A cut by a few seconds. Xia Zixuan rounded out the top 3 with a 2:12.91.

Men’s 200 Backstroke – Final

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 1:57.50
• Chinese National Record: 1:53.99 – Xu Jiayu (2018)

Top 3:

1. Wang Yutian 2:01.04
2. Liu Zongyu 2:01.95
3. Jiang Chenglin 2:02.67

Wang Yutian and Liu Zongyu finished within a second of each other here but couldn’t quite crack 2 minutes, hitting a 2:01.04 and 2:01.95, respectively. Jiang Chenglin followed with a 2:02.67 for the bronze medal.

The event served as an opportunity for swimmers to join Xu Jiayu on the Olympic team in the event. Jiayu swam a 1:56.92 to qualify for the Olympic team at last month’s Trials meet, trailing his 1:53.99 Chinese record in the event by a few seconds.

Women’s 800 Freestyle – Fast Heat

• FINA ‘A’ cut: 8:33.36
• Chinese National Record: 8:14.64 – Wang Jianjiahe (2019)

Top 3:

1. Sun Jiake 8:45.63
2. Yang Peiqi 8:50.52
3. Gao Ranting 8:53.42

The trend of no FINA A cuts being hit at this meet continued with the women’s 800 freestyle as Sun Jiake swam an 8:45.63 for the gold medal. She won the event by around 5 seconds, getting in before Yang Peiqi‘s 8:50.52 and Gao Ranting‘s 8:53.42. This is Peiqi’s 4th medal of the meet, adding to her 400 freestyle silver, and 100 breast, and 200 IM bronze medals.

At last month’s Chinses Olympic Trials, national record-holder Wang Jianjiahe delivered an 8:20.38 to win the event and qualify for Tokyo. That swam was about 7 seconds over her 8:14.64 national record and is currently the second-fastest swim in the world this year behind Katie Ledecky‘s 8:13.64. Li Bingjie joined Jianjiahe on the roster with an 8:25.31 last month which was also under the FINA A of 8:33.36.

Men’s 100 Freestyle – Final

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 48.57
• Chinese National Record: 47.65 – Ning Zetao (2014)

Top 3:

1. He Junyi 48.72
2. Pan Zhanle 49.02
3. Hou Yujie 49.15

Over the course of China’s 2 Olympic Trials meets, no men have managed to get under the Olympic qualifying standard of 48.57. He Junyi has gotten the closest, earning gold in the event at both meets with a 48.71 last month and a 48.72 here. His quickest swim, however, came in the prelim of this meet when he posted a 48.59 which was only 0.02 seconds slower than the FINA A.

Pan Zhanle took silver at both meets, hitting a 48.74 last month and a more recent 49.02. Hou Yujie rounded out the Summer Nationals podium with a 49.15.