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World Textile Best & Two China Marks

Apr 5, 2013  - Craig Lord

A world textile record tumbled to 15-year-old Fu Yuanhui and two shiny suit nationals records fell to men on the fifth day at the Chinese National Championships in Zhengzhou today.

Fu, of Zhejiang, stormed to a 27.22 victory in the 50m backstroke, cracking her personal best of 27.86 wide open, confining the 27.45 world textile best of Gao Chang to history and splitting the difference between the fastest two shiny suit times ever, the world mark surviving at 27.06 to a third Chinese sprinter, Zhao Jing, and the 27.23 German record of Daniela Samulski, from 2009. Liu Xiang, of Guangdong, 27.76, took silver in Zhengzhou, Gao, of Shandong, bronze in 28.13.

The best men's efforts of the day took down shiny standards that had stood since 2009, the last season of surfing in the race pool. Wang Shun, of Zhejiang, dominated on 1:57.50 in the 200m medley and Ning Zetao, on Chinese Navy, the first of two men inside 49sec, took gold in 48.60 in the 100m freestyle ahead of Lu Zhiwu, of Zhejiang, on 48.86. 

Wang, Sun Yang's Zhejiang teammate, and his 1:57.50 took out the national standard had stood at 1:58.53 to Zhang Zishan since the last shiny suit season in 2009. The new champion, 18, had had a best of 1:58.56, from September 20011. he made no progress last year, on a season best of 2:00.59 at China nationals and 2:00.85 in the heats at London 2012.

Today he kept at bay Zhejiang teammate Mao Feilian, on 1:59.63, and Li Xiang, of Tianjin, on 2:00.32, the latter locking Shi Yi, also Zhejiang, off the podium in 2:00.51. Depth and speed is building apace in the Zhejiang programme.

In the 100m freestyle Ning, who leapt up from a best of 49.76 two years ago as an 18-year-old, registered no times in Olympic year 2012 because of a ban. On March 9, 2011, Ning tested positive for Clenbuterolin an out-of competition doping control: the Chinese Swimming Association imposed a one-year suspension.

He is back with a vengeance this season, his 48.60 pipping defending champion Lu and cracking the 48.73 at which Chen Zuo had held the national record since the last shiny suits season in 2009. Yu Hexin, of Guangdong, took bronze in 49.12, his effort making sharp progress after a 50.14 best in September last year on his world ranks debut. Locked off the podium was Ban Bao, Liaoning, also inside 50sec for a potential relay berth, on 49.56, at world championships in Barcelona this summer. The four others in the final ranged from 50.22 to 50.69.

Olympic champion Jiao Liuyang, Guangzhou Army, clocked 2:05.87 for a solid victory over 2008 Olympic champion Liu Zige, Shanghai, on 2:07.10, in the 200m butterfly, Gong Jie, of Guangzhou Army, third in 2:08.59. 

The last race of the fifth day saw Shandong take the women's 4x200m freestyle in 7:58.61 ahead of Zhejiang, 8:02.68, and Shanghai, 8:03.88, Beijing locked out in Beijing, 8:04.07, with Jiangsu on 8:06.29 and Tianjin on 8:07.26. 

Results at a glance, day 5:

  • Women
  • 200m butterfly
  • 1. Jiao Liuyang, Guangzhou Army, 2:05.87 seconds
  • 2. Liu Zige, Shanghai, 2:07.10
  • 3. Gong Jie, Guangzhou Army, 2:08.59
  • 4. Zhou Yilin, Hebei, 2:09.09
  • 5. Liu Lan, Chinese Army, 2:09.38
  • 6. Ha Sinan, Hebei, 2:09.52
  • 7. Li Shuang, Henan, 2:09.67
  • 8. Zhou Min, Shanghai, 2:10.20
  • 50m backstroke:
  • 1. Fu Yuanhui, Zhejiang, 27.22
  • 2. Liu Xiang, Guangdong, 27.76
  • 3. Gao Chang, Shandong, 28.13
  • 4x200m freestyle:
  • 1. Shandong, 7:58.61
  • 2. Zhejiang, 8:02.68
  • 3. Shanghai, 8:03.88
  • Men
  • 100m freestyle:
  • 1. Ning Zetao, Chinese Navy, 48.60 (China record)
  • 2. Lu Zhiwu, Zhejiang, 48.86
  • 3. Yu Hexin, Guangdong, 49.12
  • 4. Ban Bao, Liaoning, 49.56
  • 200m medley:
  • 1. Wang Shun, Zhejiang, 1:57.50 (China record)
  • 2. Mao Feilian, Zhejiang, 1:59.63
  • 3. Li Xiang, Tianjin, 2:00.32
  • 4. Shi Yi, Zhejiang, 2:00.51