2026 CHINESE NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, June 16 – Sunday, June 21, 2026
- Hangzhou, China
- LCM (50 meters)
- Live Results
- Day 1 Recap
The 2nd day of action in Hangzhou was highlighted by a few major performances, perhaps none more impactful than one of China’s young talents in Yu Yiting in the 200 IM, blasting a new Asian Record in the event in 2:06.82, a time that leapfrogs her into the top spot on the world rankings this season, and slots her well inside the top ten performers ever in the event’s history.
Yiting was dominant in the 200 IM final, which closed out the 2nd day of individual competition. She finished more than two and a half seconds ahead of former Asian record holder Yu Zidi in 2:09.33. That swim also puts Yiting ahead of Zidi as the world’s top performer in the event this season, besting the 13-year-old phenom’s 2:07.41 from the Chinese National Games in November, which also stood as the then-Asian record.
2025-2026 LCM Women 200 IM
Yiting
2:06.82
| 2 | Kate Douglass | USA | 2:07.04 | 06/17 |
| 3 | Yu Zidi | CHN | 2:07.41 | 11/11 |
| 4 | Abbie Wood | GBR | 2:08.17 | 04/18 |
| 5 | Summer McIntosh | CAN | 2:08.21 | 03/07 |
Prior to this meet, Yiting’s best time of 2:07.75 ranked her as the 11th-fastest performer ever in the event. This new time moved her up in the all-time rankings to 6th.
Top Women’s 200 IM Performers
- Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2:05.70
- Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:06.12
- Ariana Kukors (USA) – 2:06.15
- Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2:06.63
- Kate Douglass (USA) – 2:06.79
- Yu Yiting (CHN) – 2:06.82
- Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (GBR) – 2:06.88
- Stephanie Rice (AUS) – 2:07.03
- Alex Walsh (USA) – 2:07.13
- Yu Zidi (CHN) – 2:07.41
Yiting opened up in 27.25 on the fly leg, a half second quicker than Zidi’s former Asian Record opening split of 27.78 from November. Yiting actually outsplit Zidi on all but one stroke in this race. The only advantage that Zidi had in the end was a freestyle split that was four-tenths better than that of Yiting.
|
Yiting’s New Asian Record
|
Zidi’s Old Asian Record
|
|
| Fly | 27.25 | 27.78 |
| Back | 32.12 | 32.23 |
| Breast | 36.98 | 37.33 |
| Free | 30.47 | 30.07 |
| 2:06.82 | 2:07.41 |
I forgot that she’s still very young -still only 20- just cos she’s been on the international stage for many years.
Yu Yiting training with Michael Bohl has been phenomenal for her so far.
A massive 30.4 PB in the 50 breast and now 2:06 in the 200 IM. Looking forward to her other races coming up !!
Congrats 👏 👏
Love seeing that celly !!
race videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O5iZ0E_aus
“Former Asian record holder, 13-year old Yu Zidi” is a wild concept.
I totally was thinking the opposite had happened – the 13 y/o Zidi beating Yuting’s AR – until reading your comment, so thank you
I somehow missed that swim of hers to I got to find out about both of them at the same time.
Alex Walsh suddenly have two new strong competitors even if Kaylee and Kate choose not to swim 200IM.
Can Alex Walsh even get one of spots on the US team? I have nothing against her, but she really hasn’t done that much on an international level to merit this much attention to be honest, but too many UVA fanbois give her a pass and make too many excuses for her. She is a world class swimmer, but close but no cigar does not count at the highest level. I can’t comment on her her current training and goals, but 200 IM is very competitive at the moment. McIntosh stands alone, but Kate Douglass and Kaylee and not that far back, Yu Yiting and Yu Zidi are very competitive as well. A Walsh also is in this tier, but… Read more »
Xu Jiayu also broke the Asian record in the 50 back. And Qin got beaten in the 100 breast.
It’s also interesting that Zidi’s improvement seems to slow down already.
This is not Asian Games.
Wait till Asian Games.
Every year I’m told to wait until Chinese Games, Asian Games or whatever meet Chinese swimmers are targeting but I seldom saw different results. She’s only 13. You don’t expect a 13 year old to be a lot slower than her best time at a trials level meet.
I’m not saying she won’t improve further more. I’m just bring up an observation and what I thought at the first moment of seeing the times.
I agree with your observation but there can be many reasons for a meet to be off ex. illness or injury in the last few weeks. I would say that if we see about 1 year with no improvement (times not even close to best times) that we can start to wonder what is going on.
Idk why you’re getting down voted so much when we literally do this every year with the Chinese swimmers. Its always “oh you haven’t seen anything yet, they’re targeting (insert meet name)” then that meet comes and goes with similar or slower results than what they’d put up earlier in the year
So you expecting her to be hitting best times each time she hit the water…not everyone will have a Katie Ledecky teenage run
bruh, she’s already close to WRs. she can’t break the physics engine of the game
Keep in mind she went 2:05 in the 200 fly back in March