2016 CHINESE OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS
- April 3rd-10th, 2016
- Foshan, Guangdong, China
- Foshan Century Lotus Swimming & Diving Hall
- Live video
- Full Results
The final day of the 2016 Chinese Spring Nationals and Olympic Trials, usually one of the most anticipated days of the meet thanks to the presence of the world’s best 1500 freestyler, ended with a bit of a whimper on Sunday in Foshan. That’s because Sun Yang continues to be absent from this meet while nursing an injury,
The Chinese fans still got a bit of a thrill though in one of the day’s two individual finals when Qiu Ziao emerged as a new revelation in the men’s 1500. Hes swam 14:58.34 to win the race by 12 seconds and establish himself as the next Chinese contender in a race where Sun has been swimming alone domestically for half-a-decade.
Ziao swam a 14:59.99 in October of last year at the Chinese Youth Swimming Championships, and with this swim improved his standing as 6th in the world this season.
In the women’s 50 free final, the Chinese remained with only two swimmers better than 25 seconds, including Chen Xinyi, who swam 24.53 to just-miss the Chinese National Record in the event by .02 seconds.
That Record is the oldest in Chinese swimming by 14 years, having been set in 1994.
Liu Xiang took 2nd place in 24.75.
In the women’s 50 free final, the Chinese remained with only two swimmers better than 25 seconds, including Chen Xinyi, who swam 24.53 to just-miss the Chinese National Record in the event by .02 seconds.
That Record is the oldest in Chinese swimming by 14 years, having been set in 1994.
Hmmm… yeah. The Chinese women won 12/16 gold medals at World Champs that year. Then basically the entire team tested positive for PEDs.
But surely things have changed, right?