Xu Jiayu Becomes First Asian Sub-24 In 50 Back With 23.92 At Chinese Nationals

2026 CHINESE NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, June 16 – Sunday, June 21, 2026
• Hangzhou, China
• LCM (50 meters)
• Live Results
• Day 1 Recap

Veteran backstroker Xu Jiayu shattered the Asian Record in the men’s 50 backstroke on the second night of competition of the Chinese National Swimming Championships in Hangzhou, becoming the first Asian under 24 seconds.

The 30-year-old blasted his way to a time of 23.92, breaking the super-suited Asian Record of 24.24 set by Junya Koga back in 2009 and his own Chinese Record of 24.36 set at last November’s Chinese National Games.

Xu had almost broken his national record in the prelims, clocking 24.40.

He is the fourth man under the 24-second barrier, and now sits in a tie for 3rd all-time in the event, matching American Justin Ress.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 50 Backstroke (LCM)

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 23.55 – 2023
2. Hunter Armstrong (USA), 23.71 – 2022
3. Justin Ress (USA) / Xu Jiayu, 23.92 – 2022 / 2026
4. –
5. Shaine Casas (USA), 24.00 – 2022
6. Pavel Samusenko (RUS), 24.01 – 2025
7. Liam Tancock (GBR), 24.04 – 2009
8. Camille Lacourt (FRA), 24.07 – 2010
9. Robert Glinta (ROU), 24.12 – 2018
10. Pieter Coetze (RSA), 24.17 – 2025

🚨NEW ASIAN RECORD!!!!!

🇨🇳徐嘉余 XU JIAYU
50Ba 23.92 AR!!!!!!!

この種目アジア人初の23秒台！！！
🇯🇵古賀淳也選手が持っていたアジア記録を17年ぶりに更新！！

世界歴代４位！！！
1. 🇷🇺Kliment Kolesnikov 23.55
2. 🇺🇸Hunter Armstrong 23.71
3. 🇺🇸Justin Ress 23.92
4. 🇨🇳Xu Jiayu 23.92 🆕 pic.twitter.com/obtFCmPKSt

— 競泳NEWS (@swimcoverage) June 17, 2026

Previously ranked 4th with his 24.36 Chinese Record from last November, Xu moves up into 2nd in the 2025-26 world rankings, trailing world record holder Kliment Kolesnikov, who clocked 23.86 at last week’s Russian Nationals.

Xu has one World Championship medal to his name in the 50 back, winning bronze in 2023 in a time of 24.50. He also made the final in 2017 (5th) and 2019 (6th), and placed 12th in 2022. At the most recent World Championships in Singapore, he missed the semis in 26th.

With the stroke 50s being added to the Olympic program in 2028, Xu has presumably put an increased focus on the event, and it’s paying off.

He had a strong start tot the Chinese National Swimming Championships on Tuesday, winning the 100 back in a time of 52.47 to fall just shy of his world-leading 52.39 from November.