Wang Jianjiahe Crushes Li Bingjie, Takes Chinese/Asian 800 Free Record

2019 CHINESE NATIONALS

*Note: Results are only available through Chinese app

16-year-oldΒ Wang Jianjiahe nailed her 2nd gold of these 2019 Championships, wrangling up a new Chinese and Asian Continental Record in the women’s 800m free tonight at Qingdao Sports Center.

Wang fired off a monster mark of 8:14.64 to take the win massively over domestic rival and former National Record holder in the event, Li Bingjie. Li touched in 8:27.96 for silver, whileΒ Bi Wenxin rounded out the top 3 in 8:29.35.

Wang’s previous personal best in this 800m free rested at the 8:18.09 she notched at the Pro Swim Series Atlanta last year. The teen was a hair off that mark en route to gold at the 2018 Asian Games, registering 8:18.55 to break that competition’s standard.

The previous 800m free Chinese and Asian Continental Record in this event stood at the 8:15.46 Li threw down at the 2017 World Championships to capture silver behind America’s unstoppable Katie Ledecky.

Splits for Wang’s national and continental record-breaking performance tonight were as follows:

59.39/1:02.37/1:02.59/1:02.54/1:02.49/1:02.66/1:02.41/1:00.19

Speaking of Ledecky, Wang’s time tonight is just .24 off of her word-leading effort from Greensboro that places the American atop the world rankings throne. Wang also bumps ahead of Li to sit only behind Ledecky and Britain’s Rebecca Adlington as the 3rd fastest performer all-time in the event.

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 800 FREE

KatieUSA
LEDECKY
05/19
8.10.70
2Wang
JIANJIAHE
CHN8.14.6403/30
3Simona
QUADARELLA
ITA8.14.9907/27
4Ariarne
TITMUS
AUS8.15.7007/27
5Leah
SMITH
USA8.16.3304/10
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Yozhik
4 years ago

Wang Jianjiahe – 16y 8 months
100 – 54.77
200 – 1:57.31
400 – 4:03.13
800 – 8:14.64
1500 – 15:46.69

Katie Ledecky Barcelona 2013 – 16 y 4months
100 – 56.0
200 – 1:56.32
400 – 3:59.82
800 – 8:13.86
1500 – 15.36.53
They have about same raw speed but Katie showed a little better speed endurance.

When 1.5 years ago Li Binhjie was named the main chaser of Katie Ledecky then I took it skeptically.
In this case with Wang Jianjiahe I don’t know what to think. It looks like now we have a real deal with this tall and very confident girl who firmly took #1 position in Chinese swimming becoming just in one year worldwide sensation.

Yozhik
Reply to  Yozhik
4 years ago

Correction: per Swimswam the best time of Wang at 200 free is 1:56.70 that makes similarity between her and 16 years old Ledecky even more spectacular.

bear drinks beer
4 years ago

Is this Yozhik’s best prediction ever?πŸ˜†

Yozhik
Reply to  bear drinks beer
4 years ago

Don’t be pessimistic. The best is still to come πŸ˜€

Aquajosh
4 years ago

Looks like Ledecky will have a formidable racing partner in the years to come. When she can go 1:55 in the 200 free, she’s going to crack 8:10.

Dee
Reply to  Aquajosh
4 years ago

She probably already can, she went 1.55.35 on the 3rd leg of the Chinese 4×2 at Asian Games.

Yozhik
Reply to  Aquajosh
4 years ago

It is a good assertion but actually ii should go a little bit different. She won’t be under 8:10 until she makes 3:59 and she won’t be able to do so until she makes 1:55 low. And that is not easy and long way at this level of world best ever recorded results. But we know that this isn’t a fairytale anymore. It’s doable. If her body doesn’t change much as a result of maturity process (Ruck vs Franklin/Oleksiak) then this is the swimmer to watch. She doesn’t look like a typical East Asian girl and that’s why we may expect not typical longer stay at stardom status.

Peyton
4 years ago

Wang’s last 50 is 29.1.

Dee
4 years ago

We’re getting towards the territory where, if Ledecky is a few % off her best game, Wang will in the fight. Exciting times for distance free.

Yozhik
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

2% at 800 race is 10 sec

Brownish
Reply to  Dee
4 years ago

Wang and Titmus wiil be close.

Yozhik
Reply to  Brownish
4 years ago

Yes, by focusing on chasing Ledeckiy Titmus can lose attention and miss Wang. Same when Ledecky was concentrated on the strategy against Manuel in 200yard race and completely lost from radar charging Comerford who caught Katie at the very end of the race. At least Titmus has to make a correction to her statement to whom she generously leaves to compete in long distances adding to this list Wang Jianjiahe. She won’t be able to match her as well.

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