Qin Haiyang, of China, took down Michael Andrew’s World Junior Record in the 200 meter individual medley at the 2017 Chinese National Championships. The young swimmer who was born in 1999 skipped the 1:58 mark and finished second in the event at Chinese Nationals, clocking a 1:57.54.
The previous record, set by Michael Andrew in Indianapolis earlier this year was 1:59.12. Andrew took the race out must faster, splitting over .6 faster on the butterfly leg than Haiyang. Haiyang had an incredible back half and out split Andrew’s freestyle split in his record swim by over two seconds. The full splits were:
| Stroke | Haiyang | Andrew |
| Fly | 25.44 | 24.83 |
| Back | 30.69 | 30.1 |
| Breast | 33.58 | 34.23 |
| Free | 27.83 | 29.96 |
| Final | 1.57.54 | 1.59.12 |
This is the first junior world record for Qin Haiyang. He joins fellow youth phenom Li Zhuhao, who set a new Chinese record in the 50 butterfly earlier this week. Zhuhao also holds the World Junior Record in the 100 and 200 meter butterfly events and was a finalist in the 100 meter distance in Rio. Although Andrew held the record up until this week, Michael Phelps went a 1:55.94 in 2003. At the time, Phelps would have been eligible, age-wise, to break World Junior Records. His swim would have been a World Junior Record and would still stand today, but FINA did not recognize World Junior Records at the time.
Another WJR for Tan, this time in the 200 breast.
2.08.71
So, correction of my list.
2003 US nationals MP gold. New world record 1.55.94
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrczk3eLjco
Either I forgot that race or I’ve never been aware. I think that’s the second option. I thought he had not broken that Barcelona’s 1.56.04 until 2006 Pan Pacs. Big error. I’m almost sure that’s the first time I watch that race of August 2003! 😆 Never too late.
2006 Pan Pacs MP gold. New world record 1.55.84
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u825vT4AxqU
A big my bad to everybody and especially to Luke Ryan who has written the article. He has corrected because of me and it was unnecessary. You can rewrite 1.55.94 for MP, the “real” world junior record. Sorry.
I thought I knew each meter of Michael Phelps’ career by heart but I don’t know why, I’ve totally missed that world record of August 2003 a few days after world championships. Seriously I think I’ve never been aware of that race until today! 😆 I really thought he he had not broken his world record made in Barcelona until 2006 Pan Pacs.
I’m absolutely confused! 😳
how are the Chinese randomly dropping these mind-boggling times?
Where have you been in the past few days?? It’s their nationals, the most important meet for most elite swimmers. Not random at all. In fact, I don’t think they can improve these top times much at the worlds, if any at all.
Always the same correction.
MP swam 1.56.04 in 2003 a few weeks after his 18th birthday. Historical world final at that time when he broke his own WR of semifinals by 1.48 s. That’s the real world junior record.
1.55.94 was made in 2006 at pan pacs.
A little bit of 200 IM history
1994 world championships. Jani Sievinen gold. New world record in 1.58.16. It stood for 9 years until MP broke it a first time in late June 2003 a few weeks before Barcelona world championships.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMfeItuuhfo
2003 world championships. MP new world record in semifinals. 1.57.52
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqAVWRlXJ9o
2003 world championships. MP… Read more »
No, the rules are pretty clear: it is not important the real date of 18th birthday but the year of born. This guy was born 1 january 1999 but, until 31th december 2017, he is a junior.
I don’t talk about the Chinese.
I just say that MP swam 1.56.04 in 2003, not 1.55.94. I just corrected what is written in the article. The “real” world junior record is 1.56.04 by MP. While the “official” is now 1.57.54 by Tan Haiyang.
Phelps swam the “real” WJR of 1.55.94 in Maryland on Aug 9th 2003, two weeks after his 1.56.04 in from the Barcelona WC.
The WR from 2006 Pan Pacs you’re thinking of Bobo was 1.55.84.
A few additions
1984 olympic final. Alex Baumann gold. New world record 2.01.42
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffjaMIxuNlw
1991 world final. Tamas Darnyi gold. New world record 1.59.36
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nYMol0CvE4
Then Sievinen’s record stood for almost 9 years!
2017 Indianapolis GP. Michael Andrew. “New world junior record” 1.59.12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfcDWzeCS4E
2017 Chinese nationals. Tan Haiyang. “New world junior record” 1.57.54
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aevQRGrOnaQ
Those are some pretty even splits. I’m always interested with IMers to see what their 200 times are for each stroke. With that freestyle split I wonder if we’ll see him on China’s 4×200 relay like with Wang Shun soon.
I,m a bit disappointed by Wang shun. He was once in the same realm as kosuke hagino in both the 200 and 400IM but hagino has left him behind. They are both the same age. Wang shun once held the Asian record in the 400 IM at 4:09 but hagino has left him behind and is now at 4:06. At these trials he swam a 1:56:1, hagino is at 1:55:03.
The good thing is Wang shun is from zhejiang and those zhejiang swimmers refuse to take PED,s. That may explain his very slow progress. Other zhejiang swimmers are xu jiayu who broke the 100 backstroke asian record. Dude has been copying ryosuke irie but with more power. Li zhuhao… Read more »
There was a world of hurt in that last 50 for MA. USRPT works for about 150 LCM.
I suspect some female 200 IMers can do better than 29.96.