China shines at Doha swimming worlds

DOHA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The World Aquatics Championships concluded in Doha on Sunday, with China dominating in diving and also impressing in swimming and artistic swimming.

YOUTH MAKING WAVES

China's swimmers amassed an impressive tally of seven golds, three silvers, and one bronze, setting one world record and two Asian records. The event also saw 11 new world champions from China, marking the country's strongest performance since the 1994 championships.

In preparation for Paris 2024, several top swimmers from around the globe opted out of the Doha championships. China's squad, led by Li Bingjie and Pan Zhanle and referred to as the "new generation" team, did participate. Notable Olympic champions such as Zhang Yufei, Wang Shun, Yang Junxuan, Ye Shiwen, as well as stars like breaststroke sensation Qin Haiyang and backstroke world champion Xu Jiayu, remained in China for training.

19-year-old Pan emerged as one of China's brightest talents, shattering the world record of the men's 100m freestyle with a time of 46.80 seconds. He went on to secure an impressive haul of four gold medals in Doha.

Tang Qianting won the gold in the women's 100m breaststroke, marking China's first victory in this event since Luo Xuejuan's win in 2003, thus ending a 21-year wait. She also broke the 50m breaststroke Asian record twice, a record she herself held.

Aiming for Olympic success, Tang is following in her predecessor's footsteps with her sights set on podium finishes.

In relay events, China achieved back-to-back victories in the women's 4x200m freestyle and men's 4x200m freestyle relays, and secured their first-ever gold in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay.

"Relays showcase the team's overall strength, making these gold medals even more valuable," said Li Bingjie.

"The gold medals boost my confidence, inspiring me to continue training hard and facing tough competition at Paris 2024," said Pan.

DIVING DOMINANCE PERSISTS

In diving, China maintained its dominance, winning nine out of 13 events in Doha. They swept all golds in the Olympic events, demonstrating their unmatched skill in the sport.

In the women's 10m platform, Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi demonstrated absolute dominance both in the synchronized and individual events. Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani also secured their third consecutive world championship title in the women's synchronized 3m springboard event. Wang Zongyuan emerged as a cornerstone in the men's 3m springboard, boasting exceptional difficulties and stability in his performances.

In recent years, the men's 10m platform has witnessed intensified competition with divers worldwide aiming for higher difficulty levels.

Despite the challenges, Chinese divers held their ground. Yang Hao triumphed in this event, with Cao Yuan securing a silver medal.

Huang Jianjie, at just 13 years old, alongside Zhang Jiaqi, displayed remarkable talent by winning the mixed 10m platform title with dominance, highlighting China's deep pool of diving talent.

ARTISTIC SWIMMING SHINES

China achieved its best-ever performance in artistic swimming, winning seven golds, one silver, and one bronze across 11 events.

Since the implementation of new rules in 2023, where subjective scoring based on aesthetics was replaced by a system of codes and difficulty scores, the traditional order in the artistic swimming world has been changed.

"We demand precision, cleanliness in movements, and artistic expression to impress the judges with our beauty. We want the whole world to see what we are," remarked coach Zhang Xiaohuan.

The twin sisters, Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, returned triumphantly from Fukuoka 2023 to shine in Doha, claiming two gold medals in the duet event and contributing to two more golds as part of the team.

China also highlighted opportunities for young talents, especially in non-Olympic events. Sixteen-year-old swimmer Yang Shuncheng made his World Championships debut, winning the title in the solo technical event, indicating potential future successes.

Looking ahead to the Paris Olympics, coach Zhang acknowledged the challenges ahead despite the boosted confidence from the World Championships' outstanding performance.

"I'm currently analyzing the underwater movements and technical strategies of various teams, which keeps me vigilant and constantly learning," said Zhang.