As the Chinese National Championships began today in Huangshan it was no surprise to see Olympic champion Sun Yang win his first event, the men’s 1500 freestyle, with ease finishing in a time of 14:54.52. Sun finished 24 seconds faster than then the next fastest competitor Wang Kecheng who posted a 15:18.76.
“Since there is no close competition within the event, I swam very relaxed and smooth. I don’t feel tired at all,” Sun told the globalpost.
“I have too few competitions this year, so I want to take this meet as a high-quality training session. I want to swim all my favorite freestyle events and see how is my form after the Incheon Asian Games.”
Sun took gold in Incheon winning the 1500 freestyle in a time of 14:49.75.
The women’s 200 butterfly final had a different look to it as 400 IM world record holder Ye Shiwen took to the pool. Ye finished in an unfamiliar spot taking home the bronze. Li Shuang took the event in a time of 2:08.24 followed by Zhou Yilin who hit the wall in a time of 2:08.58 and Ye who touched in a time of 2:09.39.
“I didn’t train very often after I came back from the Asian Games,” Ye told the globalpost.
“I thought I could swim to 2:08 but I felt my hands empty in the water. However, it is my personal-best since I never competed in this event before,.”
Going into the women’s 100 freestyle Shen Duo, the Asian Games and Youth Olympic Games champion, was the favourite, but ended up posting the second fastest time of the evening. Shen, the junior world record holder in the event, was beaten by Qiu Yuan who finished third, behind Shen, at the Youth Olympic Games.
Qiu finished in a time of 54.40 six one-hundredths of a second ahead of Shen who touched in a time of 54.46.
Other winners on the night included:
- Women’s 200 backstroke – Liu Yaxin – 2:10.57
- Women’s 50 breaststroke – Shi Jinglin – 31.39
- Men’s 100 breaststroke – Wang Lizhuo – 1:02.06
- Men’s 200 IM – Yang Zhixian – 1:59.08