2018 CHINESE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- October 13th-17th, 2018
- Shandong, Zhejiang, China
- 50m
- No full results available.
16-year-old Wang Jianjiahe continued her breakout year by wrapping up the Chinese National Championships with a 4th gold. After taking titles across the 100m free (54.77), 200m free (1:56.70) and 400m free (4:06.60) in Zhejiang this week, the versatile freestyle ace clinched the women’s 800m free victory in a time of 8:29.04.
The teen’s domination at this domestic championships is indicative of where the 5’9″ accomplished star has risen since breaking out at last year’s National Championships. At her biggest international competition to date, Wang smashed 4 golds in Jakarta at this year’s Asian Games, topping the podium individually in the 200m, 400m and 800m free, setting Games Records for all. She was also a critical component of China’s gold medal-winning women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay, splitting 1:55.35 en route to another Games Record.
Whereas teammates Li Bingjie and Ai Yan landed on the international swimming scene at ages 15 and 13 at the World Championships and Rio Olympics, respectively, Wang made her very first senior national team in 2016. Originally encouraged to swim as a form of weight loss when she was just 6 years of age, the now-world record holder is scratching the surface of her potential, chasing idols Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps in her pursuit.
Of her own talent, Wang told Xinhuanet this week, “Everyone has different growth periods. I follow the pace of my own development and follow the steps. But we have such good competition, promote each other and win glory for the country. The relationship is very good, I often play together in my spare time, go shopping and watch movies together.”
As one would expect with a mid-distance/distance freestyler, Wang grinds out the yardage under the guidance of Coach Han Bingyan, approaching up to 14,000m a day. “Han’s expectations are high, but this helps me,” the teen said.
“I train very harshly. If my technical or times don’t meet his requirements, I definitely keep at it until I finish. I am not afraid of him; he is like a father in that he cares and loves me.”
Wang continued, “My parents don’t have a sports background. My strength is my height; my feel for the water is not particularly good, so I can only make up for it with hard work.”
Looking ahead to next year’s World Championships, as well as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Wang clearly sees America’s Ledecky in her sights, but the swimmer/coach duo is realistic about the magnitude of the Olympic champion’s tenacity.
“We must redouble our efforts, be as strong as possible, narrow the gap, and don’t expect to catch up. It is unrealistic. What we have to do is to steadily improve and wait for the flowers to bloom,” Coach Han said of his protegé Wang.
“She is still young and there is still much room for improvement. There is room for it, to lay the foundation step by step, strengthen the strength, and improve the technical details.” (Xinhuanet)
On her way to an altitude training camp, Wang will then head to Hangzhou to compete at December’s FINA Short Course World Championships.
She should come swim NCAA after Tokyo
14,000 sounds so brutal
I remember Paltrinieri swims 16,000 a day. He’s a Male though.
https://www.thecut.com/2016/09/the-obscure-endurance-sport-women-are-quietly-dominating.html
That was a taper week at Germantown!
Wang’s height is 182cm, so about 6′. She looks more promising than her peers, who are typically between 5’7 and 5’9.
Anke Mohring was the first 800 WR holder to stand over 180cm tall. It really is crazy to think we had these ittle girls like Michelle Ford (about 160), Turrall, Evans smashing WRs once. Now we all sit in awe of shorter swimmers excelling.
I sometimes wonder if we now pre-judge ability too often based on an ‘ideal’ build leading to less physically imposing swimmers dropping out of the sport too early – I have friends who did so. Being bigger clearly helps sprinters, but I don’t think it makes too much difference as you move through the distances. Being under 180 doesnt seem to hurt Hagino, Seto or Irie too much.
Look in the tennis that was originally mostly a tactical game. The taller player ( aka shooters) have obvious advantage nowadays. And small girl has practically no chances.
What you it or not but the sport of swimming is all about the second law of Newton: drag, propelling force and body mass. You can add to this equation the endurance factor that shows how quickly a swimmer is loosing the power of propelling force and is loosing the stroke technique increasing by that the drag. But sill the relationships with mass and force are the major factor. If Wang Juanjiahe is 6’00” – 146lbs and Li Bingjie is 5’8″ – 143 lbs then I will put my money on… Read more »
I take your scientific points and don’t disagree with any of them. However, if we look away from Ledecky, this is the list of sub 8.20 girls I can think of in the last 5/6 years:
Kapas Boglarka 167cm
Jazmin Carlin 175cm
Leah Smith 178cm
Ariarne Titmus 177cm
Jessica Ashwood 173cm
Mireia Belmonte 170cm
Simona Quadarella 170cm
Li Bingjie 173cm
Lauren Boyle 183cm
The top European ‘junior’, Kesely Ajna, looked absolutely tiny when I saw her in Glasgow. Definitely no taller than 165cm. Evans was also way under 170cm – and, in my view, her times in the late 80s are akin to what Ledecky manages today.
I am just not… Read more »
You haven’t mentioned the leaders who are #2 behind Ledecky (183) and who are actually tall
Rebecca Adlington – 179 cm and
Lotta Friis – 184 cm
Ah I knew I forgot somebody ‘big’. But you actually further my point that shorter women are not fundamentally disadvantaged swimming distance… Carlin was actually faster than both Friis & Adlington since 2010, and Quadarella/Kapas are both already faster than Adlington managed in textile.