Most of the Chinese National Team Will Attend China Swimming Open (PSYCH SHEETS)

2026 CHINA SWIMMING OPEN

• March 19th – March 22nd
• Longgang Universiade Center Natatorium, Shenzhen, China
• LCM (50m)
• Psych Sheets

Psych sheets for the upcoming China Swimming Open meet in Shenzhen, China, have been generated.

The meet is expected to be a world-class competition, attracting World Record holding swimmers from around the world with big appearance fees (up to $20,000) and prize money ($680,000) available to participants.

Even without accounting for appearance fees, that’s more money than is on offer at each USA Swimming Pro Swimming Series meet (Around $40,000, depending on how many winners get doubled) and more than the average per World Cup Series stop (around $400,000, depending on how many World Records are set).

Note that per Chinese national policy, 20% of the prize money will be deducted for taxes.

Prize Money

• 1st – $10,000
• 2nd – $6,000
• 3rd – $4,000

Non-Chinese Athletes Listed on the Psych Sheets:

• Regan Smith (USA)
• Alex Walsh (USA)
• Gretchen Walsh (USA)
• Kate Douglass (USA)
• Lani Pallister (Australia)
• Mollie O’Callaghan (Australia)
• Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong)
• Kaylene Corbett (South Africa)
• Noe Ponti (Switzerland)
• Jack Alexy (USA)
• Thomas Ceccon (Italy)
• Kyle Chalmers (Australia)
• Cameron McEvoy (Australia)
• Nicolo Martinenghi (Italy)
• Lukas Martens (Germany)
• Arno Kamminga (Netherlands)
• Pieter Coetze (South Africa)
• Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia)
• William Petric (Australia)
• Arno Kamminga (Netherlands)

Among the new names not previously revealed are Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands, William Petric of Australia, and Kaylene Corbett of South Africa.

Chinese Stars Too

The Chinese host delegation will be loaded as well. The entire women’s team from the 2025 World Championship will be in attendance. The entire men’s team will be as well, with the exceptions of backstrokers Xu Jiayu and Wang Shun, and World Champion breaststroker Qin Haiyang.

But what is really exciting about this meet from a western perspective is that, with things like full-English language psych sheets, it’s a rare easy western exposure to the young depth that always seems to be on the verge of a breakthrough, like 19-year-old Jiayue Zhao, who has already been 48.49 in the men’s 100 meter free, or 15-year-old Liu Xiting, who has already been 55.40 in the women’s 100 meter free, or 15-year-old Lu Xingchen, who has already been 27.74 in the women’s 50 back and 59.96 in the women’s 100 back.

13-year-old Wu Yunhan is the country’s latest uber-young product: she is seeded at 55.00 in the 100 free. For comparison, the United States’s fastest 13-year-old this season in that event is Annie Xu, who has been 59.18 (and she is Chinese too).

Then of course there’s Yu Zidi, who at 12 almost won medals at last year’s World Championships before she was even old enough to race at the World Junior Championships. This meet will provide her valuable racing experience against some of the world’s best, with entries like the 200 fly and 200 back against Regan Smith, the 200 breast and 200 IM against Kate Douglass, and the 200 IM and 400 IM against Alex Walsh.

Highlight Races

Almost every race has a good reason to watch, but here are some that are real lightning rods for the top end of this field.

• The women’s 100 free will feature four of the world’s best in Douglass, O’Callaghan, Walsh, and Haughey against China’s best Cheng Yujie and Ai Yanhan. Throw in Australian Shayna Jack for good measure and this is a can’t-miss race.
• The men’s 100 free will be good too. With one of the world’s best Pan Zhanle as part of the home country’s offerings, the meet has imported American Jack Alexy and Australian Kyle Chalmers to contend. Backstrokers Pieter Coetze, Thomas Ceccon, and Kliment Kolesnikov are entered too, really ramping up the name-power of the field. Keep an eye on Liu Wudi, a 20-year-old Chinese swimmer who has already been 48.25, and this should be a good one.
• Coetze, Ceccon, and Kolesnikov will all race the men’s backstroke events too, where they are at their best. The lack of China’s best swimmers dampens what could be the best race of the meet, but a next generation that includes 17-year-old Chen Zeyi (54.52) and 18-year-old Wang Zicheng (54.79) will be hungry to stake their claim on the future of the group.
• The women’s 800 free will feature two of the top five from last year’s World Championships Lani Pallister of Australia and Li Bingjie of China, but it will also feature some of the seemingly-endless supply of young women’s Chinese distance talent. teenagers Yang Peiqi (8:19.45), Mao Yihan (8:27.34), Ma Yonghui (8:28.57), and Gao Wiezhong (8:29.21) are the #3-#6 seeds.
• Kyle Chalmers is entered in the 50 breaststroke.