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
During the finals session of day 4 at the Chinese Olympic Trials, 19-year-old Yang Junxuan won the 200 free final with a blistering time of 1:54.57 to break her own Asian Record by .13. This time ranks Junxuan as the 8th all-time fastest woman in the event:
All-Time Women LCM 200 Freestyle Performers:
- Federica Pellegrini (ITA) – 1:52.98, 2009
- Allison Schmitt (USA) – 1:53.61, 2012
- Katie Ledecky (USA) – 1:53.73, 2016
- Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 1:54.08, 2016
- Ariarne Titmus (AUS) – 1:54.27, 2019
- Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 1:54.44, 2018
- Emma McKeon (AUS) – 1:54.55, 2019
- Yang Junxuan (CHN) – 1:54.57, 2021
- Camille Muffat (FRA) – 1:54.66, 2012
- Femke Heemskerk (NED) – 1:54.68, 2015
She first broke the Asian Record in March with a time of 1:54.70, ranking herself 10th out of the all-time fastest women in the event. She took the title away from Japan’s Rikako Ikee who had held the record at 1:54.85 since the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships.
With the Tokyo Olympics less than three months away, Junxuan has maintained her spot at the top of the fastest 200 freestylers in the world this season:
2020-2021 LCM Women 200 Free
Titmus
1:53.09
| 2 | Siobhan Haughey | HKG | 1:53.92 | 07/28 |
| 3 | Yang Junxuan | CHN | 1:54.37 | 07/29 |
| 4 | Katie Ledecky | USA | 1:54.40 | 04/09 |
| 5 | Penny Oleksiak | CAN | 1:54.70 | 07/28 |
Junxuan became the first Chinese woman to break 1:55.00 in the 200 meter freestyle in January 2020. She also won silver in this event at the 2018 Asian Games, alongside a silver medal in the 100 freestyle. One year later, she placed 5th in the 200 free at the 2019 World Championships (1:55.43).
The last time China took home an Olympic medal in the women’s 200 free was in 2008 at the Bejing Olympics where Pang Jiaying won bronze.
I am thinking if the last race of Yang Junxuan was simply an experiment designed by her coach. Two races: one in March – 1:54.70 and another one 0.13 sec faster in May – 1:54.57. The time difference isn’t that significant but look how different these races are.
She was 0.84 sec(!) faster at first 100 today than it was in March. It’s a lot. And she paid for that with 0.71sec at the second half.
There is no more room for improvement to continue this way. Even if she goes insanely fast out under 55sec the tradeoff will become negative.
Very hard to make prognosis for this swimmer. Was today’s race some desperate attempt and we… Read more »
Could Paige Madden qualify in the 200 for the US?
Seems plausible. When you’ve got momentum, you’ve got momentum.
The top four swimmers in the women’s 100 meter freestyle and women’s 200 meter freestyle automatically qualify for the Olympic Team. For the additional swimmers to be added to the women’s 100 meter freestyle and women’s 200 meter freestyle, a number of swimmers need to double up in individual events:
Manuel: 50 FR, 100 FR, 200 FR?
Weitzeil: 50 FR, 100 FR
Ledecky: 200 FR, 400 FR, 800 FR, 1500 FR
Smith, Leah: 200 FR, 400 FR, 800 FR
With the addition of the women’s 1500 freestyle, the question remains whether the women’s roster size has expanded to 28 or remains at 26.
Zhang Yufei 52.90 in the 100 prelims.
DEE was mentioning about breakthrough in Netherlands sport during pandemic season. I see the same thing is happening with the Chinese women swimming. They are becoming a factor in almost all swimming disciplines. Chinese miracle vaccine? 😀
Kamminga broke through in 2019.
I just repeated what DEE said. All complaints should be addressed to him 😀
How deep Chinese W200FR field is? With the emergence of such strong leader what are chances of Chinese 4×200 relay?
why r u being downvoted?
Maybe they have a fat fingers and missed “+” ikon 😀
But I think we have to blame it on pandemic. Wherever we used to use our hands we are using our elbows now. Swimswam has to adjust their website to new CDC requirements making the “+” and “-” signs four times larger and separating them by significant distance. 😀
Because they are Yozhik.
Are splits of Yang’s today race in 200 available? How are they different from her previous under 1:55 result? Is 53 57 her personal best in 100FR.
Looks like a very bright swimmer. We need more information about her than such brief reporting. At least some biometrics: how tall she is, her weight … Is she another one year comet in Chinese swimming stardom or we are dealing with the swimmer who is going to dominate for long time. How her style is different from another young stars in 200FR like Haughey or Ruck?
More quantitative info about this swimmer, please. Not her medals and places in junior competitions.
Thank you very much. Quite a different approach in these two races. It looks like her style in this event is still pretty much under development.
The swimmer who starts 200 race with 55.3 must have 100FR very close to 53.0
Ledecky’s first half in her gold medal race was 55.4 and she was 52.6 relay swimmer in this meet.
McKeon started even faster but still not 55.3 and she is 52 sec sprinter.
So far as I know Yang’s personal best at 100FR is 53.57. If it is still the same then 55.3 is pretty much risky way to start 200 distance.
That’s a slightly faster opening 100 than Schmitt in London. 55.30 vs 55.38
Allison Schmitt is unfairly forgotten by the media and swimming critics. Her world record race in London is an example of perfection. Her style and approach in racing this distance are what any elite swimmer must try to match.
It was an Olympic and American record not world record but yes the race was executed very well
That is a very sensitive topic of how to treat Pellegrini’s races in 2009. And I don’t want to hurt the feelings of the army of Federica’s fans.
If you think that supersuits do not improve the performance then there would be no discussion. Full stop. But if you agree they helped swimmers then the next question would be “how much?” It varies from strokes, distances, genders and individual style of racing. In average the effect of improvement was estimated between 1.9 – 3%. In women swimming the records in 200 distance are/were the last ones standing (200FR, 200BU, 4×200)
The only person who can answer the question what kind of swimmer Pellegrini was in 2009 is Federica… Read more »
Yes, her WR 200 free = Biederman’s 200 free WR
All-Time Top Performances (textile)
Women’s 200 meter freestyle
Schmitt – 1:53.61
Ledecky – 1:53.73
Sjostrom – 1:54.08
Pellegrini – 1:54.22
Podium….
Ledecky
Junxuan
Titmus
I wouldn’t count out Pellegrini, she’s medaled at every world championships since 2005( and won 4 of them) for a reason
Pelllegrini has saved her fastest swims of the year in the final of the last two FINA World Aquatics Championships:
2017 – 1.54.73
2019 – 1:54.22
But yet she finished off the podium the last 2 olympics,
count Haughey in also.
Also we better wait for Mckeon and the canadians
Will Ruck return to her 2018 form as displayed at the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships?
I dont know why you are downvoted for a vert legitimate question! Hope Ruck is able to be at her best. She had a very promising Pan Pacs in 2018 and Comm games.
I must be the villian of the swimswam message board. Enbrace the downvote!
😀 😀 I’m always wondering how people do such predictions of podium standings. What is the logic behind that, that I can use myself to foresee the future?
Is it based on most recent in-season times? Then how does Titmus come to the picture? Or they use personal bests? Then where is Allison Schmitt in such a case?
Yeah, very confusing. Probably inner voice tells them. Too bad for me. I cannot eavesdrop this conversation because it is done most likely in English. 😀 😀
I’m always wondering how Yozhik do such Swimswam comments. What is the logic behind that, that he use to write his comments?
Is it based on thinking the commenter focus too much on in-season times? Then how does historical times come to the picture? Do the commenter focus on personal bests? Then where is forgotten mention of aging swimmer?
Yeah, very confusing. Probably inner voice guide Yozhik. Too bad for me. I cannot eavesdrop this conversation in his head.
You kill the joke 😀
Don’t bother with mass of chaos.
Women’s 200 free in Tokyo is going to be one to watch. No significant favorite at this point but the field is getting stacked. 1:53 high to win?
Ledecky, Titmus, McKeon, Junxuan, Haughey, Pellegrini, etc etc… It’s gonna be a barn burner.
Pellegrini in those odd years:
2011 – Gold
2013 – Silver
2015 – Silver
2017 – Gold
2019 – Gold
Now that’s consistency.
She is certainly great but i think that defines a *lack* of consistency right?
Top two every odd year? Calendar year 2021 is an odd year.