Li Zhuhao Lowers World Best 100 Fly To 51.24 At Chinese Nationals

(140819) -- NANJING, Aug. 19, 2014 (Xinhua) -- Li Zhuhao of China celebrates after winning men's 100m butterfly final event at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 19, 2014. Li won the gold medal. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) (ljr)

Photo Courtesy: Xinhua/Chen Yehua

Day seven of the 2016 Chinese Nationals featured another dynamite 100 fly from Li Zhuhao and a top ten showing from Chen Xinyi in the 50 free.

Liu Yaxin and Chen Jie kept it close in finals of the women’s 200-meter backstroke posting final times .28 seconds apart. Yaxin powered ahead to finish first with a time of 2:10.01 over Jie’s 2:10.29. Rounding out the top three finishers was Cheng Haihua with a time of 2:11.73.

Li Zhuhao of Zhejiang powered ahead of the competition in the men’s 100-meter fly to touch first with a time of 51.24. Zhuhao’s time rockets him to the top of the world rankings for 2016. A pair of 52’s from Zhang Qi Bin (52.34) and Zhou Jiawei (52.44) completed the top three.

The women’s 800-meter free proved to be a close field with a slim two and a half seconds separating the top three finishers. Leading the pack was Zhang Yuhan who delivered a final time of 8:24.04 for gold, while Xinxing of Shandong Hosa posted a second place finish of 8:25.16. Hou Yawen was third with a time of 8:26.76.

Yu He Xin maintained his spot atop the leaderboard in the men’s 50-meter free winning gold with a time of 22.16. He Xin’s time moves him up slightly in the world rankings from 15th (22.19) to 14th (22.16). Shi Yang grabbed second overall with a time of 22.40, while Guo Wei took third with a time of 22.46.

Earning a spot in the top 20 of the world rankings for 2016 was Chen Xinyi with a 24.70 in the women’s 50-meter free semi-finals. Xinyi’s time ties her for seventh with Aliaksandra Herasimenia. Posting the only other 24-second 50 was Liu Xiang, who stopped the clock at a 24.84. Third went to Zhumeng Hui (25.19).