Li Zhuhao set the 200 fly world junior record at the Chinese nationals in Huangshan today with a 1:55.52 to give the Chinese a future swimming star when looking ahead to the 2020 Olympics.
Li, just 16 years old, broke Andrew Seliskar’s record of 1:55.92 from the 2014 junior Pan Pacific championships. Before today’s swim, Li’s best of the year had been a 1:57.73 from the April nationals. His major improvement moves him from 56th to 13th in the world.
Li swam at the world championships in Kazan last month, but not in the 200 fly. He was stellar in the 100 fly, setting a world junior record of 51.33 in prelims before placing eighth in his first world championship final.
In an interview with Xinhua News Li said he’s looking ahead to the Beijing stop of the FINA World Cup series in three weeks, where he might face the likes of Chad Le Clos and others.
Three women who had superb performances at the world championships were also the highlight of day two at nationals. Shen Duo, a world championship finalist in the 200 free and the world junior record holder with a 1:56.12, won the national title in 1:57.72. Zhang Yufei, who won bronze in the women’s 200 fly at worlds with a 2:06.51, cruised to the national title in the 100 fly with a 58.49. And Shi Jinglin, who was part of the three-way tie for bronze in the women’s 200 breast at worlds, won the 100 breast in 1:07.95.
Xu Jiayu nearly beat his best time of the year in the men’s 50 backstroke, taking the national title in 25.35 to fall short of his 25.15 from the April nationals.
Nils Liess
the only word that comes into my mind is “doping”