Dong Zhihao Breaks Own World Junior Record Again With 2:08.04 200 Breaststroke

2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• July 23 to 30, 2023
• Fukuoka, Japan
• Marine Messe Fukuoka
• LCM (50m)
• WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Entry Book
• Live Results (Omega)
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
• Day 6 Prelims Live Recap
• Day 6 Finals Live Recap

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: Zac Stubblety-Cook, Australia – 2:05.95
• World Junior Record: Dong Zhihao, China – 2:08.83 (2023)
• Championship Record: Anton Chupkov, Russia – 2:06.12 (2019)
• 2022 World Champion: Zac Stubblety-Cook, Australia – 2:07.07
• 2022 Time to Medal: 2:08.38

Top 8:

1. Qin Haiyang (CHN) — 2:05.48 (WORLD RECORD)
2. Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) — 2:06.40
3. Matt Fallon (USA) — 2:07.74
4. Dong Zhihao (CHN) — 2:08.04 (WORLD JUNIOR RECORD)
5. Caspar Corbeau (NED) — 2:08.42
6. Ippei Watanabe (JPN) — 2:08.78
7. Anton McKee (ISL) — 2:09.50
8. Josh Matheny (USA) — 2:10.41

Dong Zhihao of China improved upon his own World Junior Record in finals of the men’s 200 breaststroke today swimming a 2:08.04 in fianls. Zhihao’s previous record stood at a 2:08.47 which he swam yesterday in semifinals.

Although Zhihao technically is the World Junior Record, it is not the fastest “junior swim” ever. Both Japan’s Akhiro Yamaguchi and China’s Qin Haiyang have been faster. Neither of the swimmer’s times were ratified though, but this event is not the only event where the fastest junior swim isn’t considered the World Junior Record. In this case, Yamaguchi’s time from 2012 was swum before World Aquatics began to recognize World Junior Records in 2014. Notably, Haiyang, the second fastest junior ever, broke the World Record in the event as he won in a 2:05.48 tonight.

Top 5 Junior Swims Boy’s 200 LCM Breast

1. Akhiro Yamaguchi, Japan — 2:07.01 (2012)
2. Qin Haiyang, China 2:07.35 (2017)
3. Qin Haiyang, China 2:08.71 (2017)
4. Dong Zhihao, China 2:08.04 (2023)
5. Dong Zhihao, China 2:08.47 (2023)

Splits Comparison:

The biggest difference today was his middle 100, specifically his second 50 overall. He was almost half a second faster today than he was yesterday in semifinals.

Zhihao was just off of making the podium tonight as he finished fourth, only 0.30 seconds off of the podium.