Wang Jianjiahe Drops 8:20.38 to Win 800 Free Final at Chinese Olympic Trials

CHINESE OLYMPIC TRIALS #1

• Friday, April 30th – Saturday, May 8th
• Qingdao, China
• Primary Olympic Qualifier
• LCM (50m)
• Results via Asian Media
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Finals Recap
• Day 6 Finals Recap

On day 7 of the Chinese Olympic Trials, National Record-holder Wang Jianjiahe won the women’s 800 free final with nearly a 5 second lead over the field. She touched the wall with a time of 8:20.38, well under the FINA ‘A” cut and within 7.02 seconds of her National Record. Jianjiahe won bronze in the 1500 free and placed 6th in the 800 free at the 2019 World Championships. Li Bingjie took 2nd place (8:25.31), also cracking the FINA ‘A’ cut.

This race mirrored the women’s 1500 free final where Jianjiahe and Bingjie also finished 1-2. Today’s race brings Jianjiahe to two Olympic roster qualifications (1500 free and 800 free) and Bingjie to four (400 free, 200 free, 1500 free.) Both of their 1500 free times fall within the top 11 times in the world this season, though this was a new season-best time for Jianjiahe which maintains her rank as the 2nd fastest woman in the event this season:

Liu Yaxin dominated the women’s 200 back final, touching the wall in 1st place with a time of 2:08.26, more than 2 seconds under the FINA ‘A’ cut. Peng Xuwei nabbed 2nd place (2:09.75), also under the ‘A’ cut.

In the men’s 100 fly final, Sun Jiajun destroyed his semifinals time by half a second to win the race, but he finished .01 off the FINA ‘A’ cut. Chinese National Record-holder Li Zhuhao finished in 8th place with a time of 55.55.

The same dream team who broke the United States’ 4×100 mixed medley World Record in October 2020 contested the event today. Xu Jiayu lead-off the relay in 53.39 and handed it off to Yan Zibei (58.99). Zhang Yufei took the butterfly leg (57.21) and Yang Junxuan anchored the relay (54.51). They finished with a time of 3:44.10 compared to their World Record time of 3:38.56.

Yufei raced the 50 free semifinal right before the relay, topping the heat with a time of 24.46. This was right on the lifetime best she posted yesterday in prelims, 24.41, which is the 2nd fastest 50 meter free ever swam by a Chinese woman. It was a tight race with .13 separating Yufei, 2nd place finisher Wu Qingfeng and National Record-holder Liu Xiang who took 3rd.

As a reminder, this is the first of two Olympic qualifying meets for China, with the second Trials meet scheduled for May 31st – June 1st. While some events have less than two swimmers qualified so far, those unclaimed Olympic roster spots can be earned later this month. You can read our most recent Chinese Olympic roster update here.

Top 3 Finishers in Each Event:

Men’s 100 Butterfly – Final

• FINA ‘A’ cut: 51.96
• Chinese National Record: 50.96 – Li Zhuhao (2017)

1. Sun Jiajun – 51.97
2. Hong Jinquan – 52.37
3. Chen Juner – 52.87

Women’s 200 Backstroke – Final

• FINA ‘A’ cut: 2:10.39
• Chinese National Record: 2:06.46 –Zhao Jing (2010)

1. Liu Yaxin – 2:08.26
2. Peng Xuwei – 2:09.75
3. Wang Jiayin – 2:10.87

Women’s 800 Freestyle – Final

• FINA ‘A’ cut: 8:33.36
• Chinese National Record: 8:14.64 – Wang Jianjiahe (2019)

1. Wang Jianjiahe – 8:20.38
2. Li Bingjie – 8:25.31
3. Hou Yawen – 8:20.82

Men’s 50 Freestyle – Semifinal

• FINA ‘A’ cut: 22.01
• Chinese National Record: 21.79 – Yu Hexin (2020)

1. Yu Hexin – 22.21
2. Wang Changhao – 22.55
3. Zhang Zhoujian – 22.64

Women’s 50 Freestyle – Semifinal

• FINA ‘A’ cut: 24.77
• Chinese National Record: 24.03 – Liu Xiang (2020)

1. Zhang Yufei – 24.46
2. Wu Qingfeng – 24.55
3. Liu Xiang – 24.59

Mixed Medley Relay

• World Record: 3:38.56 – Jiayu/Zibei/Yufei/Junxuan (2020)

1. Xu Jiayu (53.39)/Yan Zibei (58.99)/Zhang Yufei (57.21)/Yang Junxuan (54.51) – 3:44.10