Olympic champion Zhang Yufei added a fourth gold medal to her collection on the penultimate day of China's national swimming championships in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, on Friday.
Competing as Team Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Jiangxi-Shandong, Zhang claimed her latest victory in the mixed 4x100m medley relay alongside teammates Xu Jiayu, Qin Haiyang, and Yang Junxun. The quartet clocked a winning time of 3:41.82, showcasing their dominance on the national stage.
Three years ago, during the Tokyo Olympics, the Chinese quartet of Zhang, Xu, Yang, and Yan Zibei finished as runners-up with a time of 3:38.86. This recent win marks a significant milestone as Qin Haiyang, who substituted Yan Zibei, has emerged as a dominant force in the breaststroke, securing the men's overall title in last year's World Cup series.
The championships also saw remarkable performances from other athletes, including Wang Changhao winning the men's 100m butterfly in 51.20 seconds, Li Bingjie taking the women's 800m freestyle in 8:25.43, and Yu Yiting securing the women's 200m medley in 2:09.73.
As the national swimming championships, which also serve as a qualifying tournament for Paris 2024, conclude on Saturday, the nine-day schedule has been meticulously designed to mimic the actual Paris Games schedule. This setup provides Chinese swimmers with an ideal opportunity to warm up and secure their berths for the upcoming Olympic Games.
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Zhang Yufei wins 4th gold in China's national swimming championships
cgtn.com
