Zhang Yufei Becomes Just 2nd Asian Woman Ever Under 25 Seconds In 50 Fly

2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Chinese swimmer Zhang Yufei fired off a new national record in the women’s 50m butterfly while competing in the semi-finals of the event here on day 3 of the 2021 FINA Short Course World Championships.

After logging a morning swim of 25.20 to already come with .06 of the then-Chinese standard of 25.14, 23-year-old Zhang managed to shave off even more time to score a lifetime best of 24.97 in tonight’s session. That overtakes the aforementioned record that Lu Ying put on the books way back in 2012.

Entering this meet, Zhang’s career-quickest rested at the 25.31 she notched 3 years ago in Beijing. Now she has become the first-ever Chinese woman to break the 25-second threshold in the short course version of this 50 butterfly.

The Asian record still stands at the 24.71 Japan’s Rikako Ikee established in January of 2018; however, Zhang is now just the 2nd woman from the continent to have dipped under 25 seconds.

Abu Dhabi Women’s 50 Fly Semi-Finals Top 8:

  1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) – 24.61
  2. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) – 24.94
  3. Zhang Yufei (CHN) – 24.97
  4. Maaike de Waard (NED) – 25.19
  5. Arina Surkova (RSF) / Claire Curzan (USA) / Torri Huske (USA) – 25.20
  6. (tie)
  7. (tie)
  8. Silvia di Pietro (ITA) – 25.25

Although Zhang owns the long course 100m free and 100m fly Chinese national records in times of 52.90 and 55.62, respectively, this is her first individual short course national standard.

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About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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