2021 Chinese Summer Nats Day 1: Cheng Yujie Gets Under FINA A In 100 Free

2021 Chinese Summer Nationals

• May 31 – June 6, 2021
• Long Course Meters (50m)
• Olympic Qualifying Meet
• Results via @CHNswim_fan On Twitter

China’s second Olympic qualifying meet has gotten underway, giving swimmers a second shot at qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Over the course of day 1, only 1 swimmer swam under the FINA A standard in the form of Cheng Yujie who posted a 53.76 in the 100 freestyle. Yujie’s swim, however, may not have been enough to qualify for the event individually as Yang Junxuan and Wu Qingfeng both previously notched sub-FINA A tines at the first qualifying meet last month.

Men’s 400 IM – Final

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 4:15.84
• Chinese National Record: 4:09.10 – Wang Shun (2013)

1. Liu Zongyu 4:19.97
2. Wang Zhou 4:26.86
3. Dong Zhihao 4:29.95

In the first final of the meet, it was Liu Zongyu who nabbed gold with a time of 4:19.97. That was a bit slower than his 4:17.80 from China’s Olympic qualifier event which occurred earlier this year where he swam a 4:17.80. Both times he was a bit slower than the FINA A standard of 4:15.84.

Wang Zhou and Dong Zhihao trailed Zongyu by a few seconds with a 4:26.86 and 4:29.65 for silver and bronze, respectively, also missing out on the Olympic qualifying standard. So far the only Chinese man to have qualified in the 400 IM is Chinese record-holder Wang Shun who posted a 4:12.03 at Olympic Trials #1.

Women’s 100 Butterfly – Final

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 57.92
• Chinese National Record: 55.62 – Zhang Yufei (2020)

1. Li Shuang 59.00
2. Wang Yichun 59.34
3. Xia Zixuan 1:00.11

In the women’s 100 fly, the field had a shot at joining Zhang Yufei on the Olympic team in the event but all three podium finishers fell short of the 57.92 FINA A cut. Li Shuang swam a 59.00 to take the gold medal which is a touch slower than her recent 58.92 prelim swim at the first Olympic qualifying meet.

Wang Yichun came in with a 59.34 for the silver medal which was actually slower than both her time at the recent qualifying meet as well as her prelim swim at this meet. In April, Yichun posted a 58.65 for the bronze medal as well as a 58.30 in the semi-finals. Zhang Yufei‘s 56.42 and during the prelims at this meet she was a 58.41. Xia Zixuan rounded out the top three here, nearly cracking a minute with her swim of 1:00.11.

Men’s 400 Freestyle – Final

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 3:46.78
• Chinese National Record: 3:40.14 – Sun Yang (2012)

1. Ji Xinjie 3:48.04
2. Zhang Ziyang 3:50.08
3. Cheng Long 3:53.31

The podium in the men’s 400 freestyle featured the same three swimmers that finished in the top three earlier this year at the first Olympic qualifying meet. Ji Xinjie touched with a 3:48.04 for the gold medal here, slightly improving upon his 3:48.58 silver medal performance from the recent meet.

Zhang Ziyang on the other hand was a little bit slower here, hitting a 3:50.08 compared to his winning time of 3:48.14 from the last meet. Cheng Long repeated as bronze medalist but fell from a 3:49.59 in April to a 3:53.31.

To date, no men have qualified for the 2020 Olympics in the 400 freestyle for China as all have been slower than the 3:46.78 FINA A cut.

Women’s 400 IM – Final

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 4:38.53
• Chinese National Record: 4:28.43 – Ye Shiwen (2012)

1. Ge Chutong 4:38.64
2. Ye Shiwen 4:44.28
3. Yin Jiahe 4:46.02

Former world record holder and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Ye Shiwen swam the quickest time in the prelims with a 4:39.24 but wound up with the silver medal with her 4:44.28 in the final. Shiwen swam a 4:28.43 world record to win gold at the 2012 Olympics but then fell to 27th place 4 years later at Rio 2016. Shiwen delivered a solid comeback swim, however, at 2019 World Championships with a 4:32.07 to take the silver medal.

Considering that she hasn’t been under the 4:38.53 FINA A at either of the first 2 Olympic qualifying meets (at the first she swam a 4:44.29 for bronze), Shiwen hasn’t yet solidified a spot on the 2020 team.

Ge Chutong came very close to the FINA A standard of 4:38.53 with her gold medal-winning 4:38.64. While she was over the FINA A standard, it will be up to the Chinese Swimming Association as to whether or not that will be enough to nominate Chutong to the team. The swim is an improvement upon Chutong’s 4:39.23 swim at the recent Olympic qualifying meet.

Yin Jiahe rounded out the women’s 400 IM podium with a 4:46.02. So far the only woman to crack the FINA A across the 2 qualifying meets is Yu Yiting who swam a 4:37.88 back in April.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 59.93
• Chinese National Record: 58.63 –Yan Zibei (2019)

1. Qin Haiyang 1:00.37
2. Yu Zongda 1:00.67
3. Zheng Yinghao 1:01.60

Qin Haiyang swam a 1:00.37 for the gold medal in the 100 breast, getting him with half a second of the 59.93 FINA A. That’s an improvement upon his 1:01.09 at the first Olympic Trials meet which he swam during the semi-finals before missing out on the podium in the final.

Yu Zongda followed with a 1:00.67 for silver, improving upon his 1:00.71 bronze medal performance from the previous Olympic qualifying meet but still a bit off the FINA A of 59.93. Zheng Yinghao earned a bronze medal with his swim of 1:01.60.

Thus far, Yan Zibei remains the only Olympic qualified swimmer in the 100 breast for China, having hit a 59.21 in the semi-final and a 59.25 in the final last month.

Women’s 100 Freestyle

• Fina ‘A’ cut: 54.38
• Chinese National Record: 52.90 – Zhang Yufei (2021)

1. Cheng Yujie 53.76
2. Wang Jingzhuo 54.67
3. Liu Xiaohan 55.49

In the women’s 100 freestyle, Cheng Yujie swam under the FINA A standard of 53.93 with a winning time of 53.76 but it is unclear if that will give her a spot on the Olympic team. At the first Olympic qualifying meet both Yang Junxuan and Wu Qingfeng swam under the mark and took gold and silver, respectively with a 53.21 and 53.84. So while Qingfeng hit the FINA first with her 53.84, Yujie has now posted a quicker time with her 53.76. Notably, Zhang Yufei also swam under the FINA A at the May meet, hitting a 52.90 during the prelims which matched her Chinese record in the event.

Regardless of who swims the event individually, Junxuan, Qingfeng, and Yujie will all likely participate in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay at the Games which China qualified to swim with their 5th place finish at 2019 Worlds.

Wang Jingzhuo who was a part of that 2019 relay was present here in the 100 freestyle final and swam a 54.67 for silver while Liu Xiaohan posted a 55.49 for bronze.

2020 Chinese Olympic Roster Thus Far