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Zhang Yufei Dethrones Regan Smith In 100 Fly World Rankings

2023 CHINESE SPRING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Olympic multi-medalist Zhang Yufei led the charge on day four of the 2023 Chinese Spring Championships.

The 24-year-old took the women’s 100m butterfly in a time of 56.58, holding off Wang Yichun and Zhang Yifan. Wang touched in 57.05 for silver while Zhang clinched bronze well back in 59.37.

Zhang won the silver medal in this event at the 2020 Olympic Games to pair with her 200m fly gold from there in Tokyo. Her time tonight easily dips under the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut of 58.33 needed for this summer’s World Championships, while runner-up Wang also made the grade.

Zhang’s 56.58 now ranks her #1 in the world this season, dethroning American Regan Smith who previously wore the crown with her season-best 56.60 from the Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

2022-2023 LCM Women 100 Fly

ZhangCHN
Yufei
07/24
56.12
2Torri
Huske
USA56.1806/29
3Gretchen
Walsh
USA56.3406/29
4Kate
Douglass
USA56.4306/29
5Maggie
MacNeil
CAN56.4507/24
View Top 26»

The men’s 100m fly saw Wang Changhao get it done for gold with the 20-year-old touching in a mark of 51.45. That held a healthy advantage over Sun Jiajun who wrangled up silver in 51.87 while Chen Juner was also right there at the wall with a bronze medal-worthy result of 51.88.

For Wang, his outing here shaved .20 off of his previous lifetime best of 51.65 performed at the 2021 National Games and inches him closer to the Chinese national record of 50.96 Li Zhuhao put on the books at the 2017 World Championships.

Both Wang and Sun cleared the World Aquatics ‘A’ standard of 51.96 needed for Fukuoka while Wang now checks in as the world’s 3rd fastest swimmer this season.

2022-2023 LCM Men 100 Fly

2Josh
Liendo
CAN50.3407/29
3Dare
Rose
USA50.4607/29
4Matthew
Temple
AUS50.7607/28
5Nyls
Korstanje
NED50.7807/28
View Top 27»

Additional Winners

  • Wang Xueer clocked a time of 59.61 to take the women’s 100m backstroke with Wan Letian getting to the wall in 1:00.02 as the runner-up. Both notched times good enough to most likely make the World Championships squad.
  • Already a multi-event winner here, 29-year-old Wang Shun notched an effort of 1:47.15 to top the men’s 200m free podium, although he just missed the Fukuoka minimum 1:47.06 standard.
  • The women’s 100m breast saw Yang Chang get to the wall first in 1:07.34, narrowly getting under the 1:07.35 ‘A’ cut for the World Championships.
  • Yu Yiting took the women’s 400m IM in a result of 4:38.15 as the only racer of the field to dip under the 4:40 threshold. Her time ranks her 5th in the world on the season while runner-up Ge Chutong‘s time of 4:42.00 joined Yu in clearing the 4:43.06 time standard needed for World Championships consideration.

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draft chaser
1 year ago

what goggles do the chinese team wear? Arena, speedo or swans?

Aquajosh
1 year ago

Yufei don’t play

Bud
1 year ago

I love how 51-mid 100 fly is normal now.
Not long ago that was Olympic medal level

Swim Alchemist
1 year ago

Men’s medley relay could be formidable next year. Xu Jiayu looks like he’s still got it, Yan Zibei/Qin Haiyang are up there with almost anybody, Wang Changhao could go 50 point, and those two youngsters on the freestyle who have gone 47 flat start.

chip
Reply to  Swim Alchemist
1 year ago

Xu Jiayu has been dealing with a lot of issues. His coach passed away and he could not train well before the Olympics. In Tokyo, he had stomach ulcers and had to be escorted from the pool in a wheelchair after the 100 BK SF. Also, rumors are he’s been kicked from the national team due to things in his personal life.

Work it out
Reply to  chip
1 year ago

Zhou Jihong not a fan of him

AI123
Reply to  chip
1 year ago

He’ll come back. They’ve even tolerated Sun Yang. It’s impossible to give up Xu because of this.If Xu do well enough, I’m sure they’ll ignore some of Xu’s scandals.
If Xu returns to the level within 53 seconds, I think China’s relay will probably beat Britain, and now the British need to brace themselves. It will be the most likely chance for some Chinese male athletes to win medal for a long time to come.

DPR
1 year ago

Dang!!!!!
What does that convert to in yards? (47 or 48)

DK99
1 year ago

It should be mandatory for SwimSwam to include the time in every article headline.

Justhereforfun
Reply to  DK99
1 year ago

You won’t even read the article if that’s the case

SuperSwimmer 2000
Reply to  Justhereforfun
1 year ago

No one reads the articles now. Straight to the comments.

John
Reply to  DK99
1 year ago

this generation of readers is straight effed if that’s what you really need

DK99
Reply to  John
1 year ago

I mean to get more people to see it

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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