How Qin Haiyang Made Breaststroke History Without Anyone Expecting It

2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

https://youtu.be/XL8f4HY6C_U

After his sprint breaststroke sweep early in the meet, I thought I had it figured out. Qin Haiyang, a 2x short course world champs medalist in the 200 breast, had made the transition from 200 breaststroke to Adam Peaty-esque sprint breaststroke. This decision had paid off for the Chinese standout by netting him his first two world titles. Case closed.

Wrong.

After moving nicely through the prelims and semis of the 200 breast, and even after going out way ahead of the field in the 200 breast final, I was telling myself “This dudes a sprinter now”. I couldn’t be more pleased to be proven wrong. Qin Haiyang brought his 200 breast home as strong as he started it, turning in a 2:05.48 to shatter the previous world record by nearly half a second.

Why this baffles me so much is because it is so rare to see someone with elite level speed and endurance and to have it all come together at one meet, with that meet being the biggest meet of the year. He swam the 50 like a 50 specialist (led from the beginning), swam the 100 like a 100 specialist (really pulled away from the field on the 2nd 50) and swam his 200 like a 200 specialist (attacked the first 50 and had 3 balanced 50s proceeding it). In a world where specializing in events is becoming more and more necessary to wind up on medal podiums, Qin Haiyang showed that it’s still possible to not put oneself in a box and still swim fast.

Qin made his mark on breaststroke history, becoming the first man at a long course championships to ever win gold in the 50-100-200 breaststroke (Brendan Hansen did it in 2004 at the short course worlds champs in Indianapolis).

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Laurence
1 year ago

Of course you have been proven wrong. Nobody except Chinese fans and the team know how hard he has been training. Nobody would believe a yellow dude until he shows what he is about.

Z_C_Berus
1 year ago

Chad le Clos did 50-100-200 gold twice (25m)

Joe
1 year ago

It’s rare when it’s done by a swimmer from a country that’s not USA, when its a USA swimmer tha article calls it a great performance, to bad that SwimSwam only recognize USA performances

Jackson Mason
Reply to  Joe
1 year ago

Bot

Nada de Nada
Reply to  Joe
1 year ago

Agreed. He had an outstanding performance. Unfortunately this outlet caters to the masses.

Laurence
Reply to  Joe
1 year ago

This can’t be more true. Swimswam is basically USA swimming focused ONLY

Moving Mark
1 year ago

This guy must be taking some serious supplements

Joe
Reply to  Moving Mark
1 year ago

That’s same thing had to be said when a USA swimmer men or women won more than two events if you want to be fair in your comments

Jasmine
1 year ago

Glorious stuff! Can’t wait to see him race in Paris.

Chris
1 year ago

Adam Peaty… The world misses you bro! Come show this guy who the real King is.

Jackson Mason
Reply to  Chris
1 year ago

Real

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