Yu Zidi's dominance at the Chinese National Swimming Championships continues, as she claimed victory in the 400-meter freestyle on Day 3, setting a massive lifetime best of 4:05.06. This performance not only ranks her 13th in the world this season but also 13th all-time among Chinese women. The 13-year-old prodigy's journey to this achievement is remarkable, considering her personal best time of 4:10.73 from 2024 and her recent improvement to 4:09.79 in the prelims. The event was won by Yu, with Asian Record holder Li Bingjie withdrawing due to illness. Li, the pre-race favorite, clocked 4:10.32 in the prelims, securing her a 3rd place finish. Second place went to Tang Muhan, who finished with a time of 4:06.08, and Fan Yaqi took the bronze with a personal best of 4:06.74. The women's 100-meter freestyle also witnessed a thrilling race, with the top five finishers separated by less than half a second. Yu Yiting, despite starting in 6th place, powered to victory in a personal best time of 53.43, just 24 hours after breaking the Asian Record in the 200 IM. Her split times of 26.15 and 27.28 showcased her exceptional swimming prowess. The final saw a tightly packed field, with Cheng Yujie, Wu Qingfeng, and Zhang Yufei securing top-four spots and a spot on China's 4x100 free relay for the Asian Games. Yang Wenwen joined them with a time of 53.92, setting a new personal best and season-best. China now boasts five women ranked in the world's top 20 this season. The men's events also saw impressive performances, with Wang Shun winning the 400 IM in 4:13.93, improving on his season-best. Peng Xuwei dominated the women's 200 back final, finishing in 2:06.71, just shy of her personal best. Fei Liwei secured victory in the men's 1500 freestyle, finishing in 14:55.87, and the Zhejiang Shouxian Valley team won the men's 4x100 medley relay with a strong performance. These results highlight the continued growth and talent within Chinese swimming, with Yu Zidi's achievements standing out as a testament to her exceptional skill and potential.
