2011 World Championships (Shanghai, China)
At her first Long Course world championships, Ye took the 200 IM title, besting reigning world champion and world record holder Arianna Kukors, touching at 2:08.90.
2012 Olympics (London)
After her breakout performance in Shanghai, Ye won gold in the 200 IM (2:07.57) and 400 IM (4:28.43), breaking the world record in the 400 and the Olympic record in the 200.
In the 400 IM, Ye finished nearly three seconds ahead of runnerup Elizabeth Beisel of the United States. This was particularly significant because Ye had been well behind Beisel (and world record pace) at the 300, but used a monster freestyle leg to take both down in the end. For perspective, she was faster on her last 50 than Ryan Lochte was in his gold medal swim at these games.
2016 Olympics (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Ye finished eighth in the 200 IM (2:13.56) and 27th in the 400 IM (4:45.86).
2019 World Championships (Gwangju, Korea)
After her times slipping in 2015 and 2016, Ye Shiwen did not compete on the highest international stages for a time. Then, at the 2019 Chinese Nationals, she won the 200/400 IM and the 200 breast, qualifying her to swim all 3 at the 2019 World Champs.
In Gwangju, Ye earned a silver medal in the 200 IM (2:08.60) and 400 IM (4:32.07). In both events, she finished behind Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu (2:07.53 and 4:30.39). Ye also finished 4th in the 200 breast in a time of 2:23.15, just .25 outside of medaling.
