2026 CHINA SWIMMING OPEN
- March 19th – March 22nd
- Longgang Universiade Center Natatorium, Shenzhen, China
- LCM (50m)
- Psych Sheets
- Results
- Livestream
- Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap/Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap/Day 3 Finals Recap
18-year-old Zhang Zhanshuo yanked the spotlight at this China Swimming Open by clocking a new lifetime best in the men’s 400m free.
Zhang stopped the clock at a monster result of 3:41.55, a new lifetime best, to deny reigning World Record holder Lukas Märtens of Germany the gold.
Märtens was relegated to silver medal status in 3:43.04 as Zhang’s countryman Xu Haibo rounded out the podium in 3:47.48.
As for teenager Zhang, his time this evening demolished his previous best-ever mark of 3:42.82, the World Junior Record he put on the books at last November’s Chinese National Games. That rendered him China’s #3 all-time performer, a ranking he maintains despite the quicker outing. He becomes the 11th-fastest man in history, however, tying Olympic champion Mack Horton‘s time it took him for the gold at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Splits:
25.39
27.94 (53.33)
28.52
28.63 (1:50.48)
28.16
28.08 (2:46.72)
27.58
27.25 (3:41.55)
China’s Top 5 Men’s LCM 400 Freestyle Performers All-Time
- Sun Yang – 3:40.14, 2012
- Zhang Lin – 3:41.35, 2009
- Zhang Zhanshuo – 3:41.55, 2026
- Fei Liwei – 3:44.24, 2024
- Hao Yun – 3:44.87, 2013
Zhang remains the #1 swimmer in the world at the moment.
2025-2026 LCM Men 400 FREE
SHORT
3:40.67
| 2 | Zhang Zhanshuo | CHN | 3:41.55 | 03/21 |
| 3 | Lukas Märtens | GER | 3:41.76 | 04/23 |
| 4 | Oliver Klemet | GER | 3:43.14 | 04/09 |
| 5 | Ryan ERISMAN | USA | 3:44.03 | 05/24 |
This caliber of performance is par for the course for rising Zhang. At the 2023 World Championships, he became the fastest-ever 16-year-old 400m IM performer (4:12.44) before Japan’s Raito Numata overtook the crown (4:12.10) last year.
At the 2024 World Championships, he helped China take gold in both the men’s 4x100m free and 4x200m free relays before also reaping silver on the men’s 4x200m free relay in Singapore.
Day 4 Prelims Livestream:
https://weibo.com/l/wblive/m/show/1022:2321325279195910766796
So there’s no race videos available from this meet? It’s kinda hard to get inro it due to limited material online
https://www.youtube.com/@CNTV_5
This channel live streams prelims and finals, and has all the previous sessions.
Awesome thanks so much for sharing ! I wanted to see the tie in mens 100 free .. giving me 2016 Rio vibes
Zhang Zhanshuo is #37 on Swimswam’s Top 100 for 2026.
Based on his latest performance, does anyone agree he should be in the top 10?
1:44/3:41 is very good but only guarantees you a spot on the 400 free podium internationally these days. He needs to be consistent throughout the year and improve by a little more to be in top 10, imo.
Chinese century is here
Chinese swimmers are improving very quickly
Doing the swimming Americans won’t do,lol.
Or anyone.
Zhang Zhanshuo is legit the real deal.
He could swim 1:43 and 3:40 next year
Bro he could do it this year
Not sure about the archive photo on the left, but the other one is definitely Qin Haiyang, not Zhang Zhanshuo.
qin swimming free? its obviously Pan
He was born on May 14, 2007. Is he over the age limit?
Thats what I was thinking or is it just 18 age on day?
Then wouldn’t Campbell Mckean have the record for the 100 Breast?
thought it was related to the calendar year
It is
He turns 19 this year so therefore is ineligible for a WJR. A 2008 YOB is the oldest a swimmer can be for WJRs.