2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, December 16th – Tuesday, December 21st
- Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- SCM (25m)
- Prize Money
- Meet Site
- Psych Sheet
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- FINA Live Results
- Omega Live Results
WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FINAL
- World Record: 7:59.34 – BELMONTE Mireia (ESP) 10 AUG 2013
Championship Record: 8:03.41 – BELMONTE GARCIA Mireia (ESP) 4 DEC 2014- World Junior Record: 7:59.44 – WANG Jianjiahe (CHN) 6 OCT 2018
Top 3:
- Li Bingjie (CHN) – 8:02.90
- Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (RSF) – 8:06.44
- Simona Quadrella (ITA) – 8:07.99
Chinese 19-year-old Li Bingjie cranked out a massive personal best on her way to winning Gold in the women’s 800 free tonight in Abu Dhabi. Of course, the 800 free had a tumultuous period of time between prelims and finals, with Canadian 15-year-old Summer McIntosh pulling out of finals, and American 15-year-old Katie Grimes being removed due to COVID protocols. McIntosh and Grimes were both potential medalists in the event, and while it would have been exciting to see the 15-year-olds in this finals field, Bingjie’s 8:02.90 was a phenomenal swim nonetheless.
For Bingjie, the performance marked a personal best by 5.91 seconds. Her previous best of 8:09.81 was set back in 2018. Not only was the swim a personal best, but Bingjie downed the Championship Record of 8:03.41 held by Mireia Belmonte as well. With the swim, Bingjie is now the 5th-fastest performer all time in the women’s SCM 800 free, and her 8:02.90 is the #7 performance all-time.
Bingjie is coming off a successful summer, capped off by a Bronze medal in the 400 free at the Tokyo Olympics. Her swim of 4:01.08 marked a new Chinese Record and Asian Record. She was also a member of the Chinese 4×200 free relay in Tokyo, which won Gold and broke the World Record.
