Shaoxing, Chinese national championships, day 3 finals: 

The hot pace of Olympic year rolled out once more on the third day of action in China, with 15-year-old Xin Xin, of Shandong, on 8:22.76 for world No 2 so far in 2012 over 800m freestyle, and Sun Ye, of Shanghai, rising to third globally with a 2:24.54 in the 200m breaststroke.

Xin's effort may leave China selectors scratching their heads when it comes to London 2012: she entered the race as 9th best Chinese woman ever on 8:28.82, and emerged as best ever in a textile suit and second best ever behind the 8:20.36 national record of Chen Qian, established at a time when shiny suits were allowed in 2009.

In young Xin's wake came the top three in China these past two season: Shao Yiwen, Zhejiang, 8:29.49, Zhou lili, Shanghai, 8:31.15, and the 17-year-old who had been the best ever in textile until today, Li Xuanxu, Hunan, on 8:31.29, well down on her best of 8:23.55.

China's 4x200m free women's quartet at London 2012 is building towards the podium, the 200m free solo won by Wang Shijia, Liaoning, in 1:57.26, ahead of 100m winner Tang Yi, Shanghai, 1:57.74, Song Wenyan, Shandong, 1:57.84, Zhu Qianwei, Shanghai, 1:58.08, Pang Jiaying, Shanghai, 1:58.60, and Liu Jing, Beijing, 1:58.95.

Tang, winner of four gold medals at the Asian Games in 2010, was outshone by Wang, 16 and on a lofty trajectory from a 2:00.74 best time in 2011.

"I think I was very lucky to win the title because all the other swimmers didn't perform as well as they usually did," Wang told Xinhua. Tang, 19, was not best pleased, saying: "The result was bad and I was a little disappointed. I swam 1:57.70 in a competition in Australia without too much preparation, but this time I prepared a lot while the result was no better."

"The 200m free is tough," she added. "If you swim too fast in the beginning, you will be out of strength in the last lap, but if you are not fast in the beginning, you will find it's hard to surpass the others at last. I will train harder after the championships and communicate with my coach to find my problems."

Results at a glance:

Men's 50m backstroke:

• 1. Cheng Feiyi, Liaoning, 25.18 seconds
• 2. Sun Xiaolei, Shanghai, 25.29
• 3. Lin Yongqing, Liaoning, 25.63
• 4. Zhang Yu, Beijing, 25.70
• 5. Duan Qiong, Beijing, 25.94

Women's 200m freestyle:

• 1. Wang Shijia, Liaoning, 1:57.26
• 2. Tang Yi, Shanghai, 1:57.74
• 3. Song Wenyan, Shandong, 1:57.84
• 4. Zhu Qianwei, Shanghai, 1:58.08
• 5. Pang Jiaying, Shanghai, 1:58.60
• 6. Liu Jing, Beijing, 1:58.95

Men's 100m freestyle:

• 1. Lu Zhiwu, Zhejiang, 49.87
• 2. Zhang Sijian, Tianjin, 49.92
• 3. He jianbin, Guangdong, 50.04
• 4. Shi Tengfei, Beijing, 50.05
• 5. Liu Zhaochen, Beijing, 50.21

Women's 200m breaststroke:

• 1. Sun Ye, Shanghai, 2:24.54
• 2. Ji Liping, Shanghai, 2:26.79
• 3. Shi Jinglin, Jiangsu, 2:27.50
• 4. Liu Hongjiao, Shandong, 2:27.87
• 5. Zhang Ying, Shandong, 2:28.14

Men's 100m breaststroke:

• 1. Li Xiayan, Guangzhou Army, 1:01.06
• 2. Huang Yunkun, Guangzhou Army, 1:01.07
• 3. Chen Cheng, Shanghai, 1:01.12
• 4. Ma Xiang, Tianjin, 1:01.51
• 5. Wang Shuai, Beijing, 1:01.87

Women's 800m freestyle:

• 1. Xing Xin, Shandong, 8:22.76
• 2. Shao Yiwen, Zhejiang, 8:29.49
• 3. Zhou lili, Shanghai, 8:31.15
• 4. Li xuanxu, Hunan, 8:31.29
• 5. Pang Wenxian, Tianjin, 8:37.37

Men's 4x200m freestyle relay:

• 1. Shanghai, 7:21.83
• 2. Jiangsu, 7:24.48