The Chinese swimming team made a remarkable splash on the opening day of the Hangzhou Asian Games, securing an impressive seven gold medals and asserting their supremacy in the pool.
Notable victories were achieved by Olympic champions Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun, who showcased their exceptional skills in their respective specialties. The pool saw outstanding performances from world champions Xu Jiayu and Li Bingjie, solidifying China’s dominance.
Emerging talent Pan Zhanle claimed victory in the men’s 100m freestyle, while Tang Qianting triumphed in the women’s 50m breaststroke. China further underlined its strength by clinching gold in the women’s 4X100m freestyle relay.
Zhang, 25, continued her incredible form from previous championships, setting a new Games record in the women’s 200m butterfly with a stunning time of 2 minutes and 5.57 seconds. Yu Liyan, her compatriot, secured the silver medal in 2:08.31, while Japan’s Makino Hiroko earned the bronze in 2:09.22.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Wang set a new Asian record of 1:54.62 in the men’s 200m individual medley, showcasing his exceptional talent.
Qin Haiyang, China’s breaststroke specialist and three-time gold medalist at the Fukuoka worlds, finished second in 1:57.41, with Japan’s Daiya Seto claiming third place in 1:58.35.
Li secured the women’s 1,500m freestyle title with a time of 15:51.18, while Xu dominated the men’s 100m backstroke, setting another Asian Games record at 52.23.
In a closely contested men’s 100m freestyle, Pan narrowly outpaced his teammate Wang Haoyu, setting an Asian record time of 46.97. Wang Haoyu followed closely behind in 48.02, and South Korean standout Hwang Sun-woo finished third in 48.04.
In the women’s 50m breaststroke, Tang, who had previously set an Asian record in the heats with a time of 29.92, clinched the gold medal with a final time of 29.96.
China continued to demonstrate its swimming prowess by securing the top spot in the women’s 4X100m freestyle relay, completing the race in 3:33.96. Japan claimed the silver medal in 3:38.48, while Hong Kong, China, earned bronze in 3:44.16.
The Chinese swimmers’ stellar performances on the first day of the Hangzhou Asian Games have set an exciting tone for the competition, leaving fans eager to see what the rest of the event will bring.
