Siobhan Haughey Edges Mollie O’Callaghan in Stellar Duel at China Open; Tang Qianting Sets Asian Record in 50 Breast
The hype surrounding the China Open has been growing over the past month, thanks to the competition offering the unique opportunity for the host nation’s athletes to battle in-season against a gathering of global stars. And on the first night of action from Shenzhen, there was no shortage of superb races, including a down-to-the-touch finish in the women’s 100-meter freestyle.
Multi-time Olympic medalists Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong and Australian Mollie O’Callaghan delivered an epic battle in the 100 freestyle, with Haughey emerging victorious by the slimmest of margins. Haughey fended off the expected late surge by O’Callaghan to win in 52.79, with the Aussie star touching the wall in 52.80. Haughey built a lead over the first length, as she split 25.39 to the 25.76 of O’Callaghan, and Haughey’s homecoming split of 27.40 was just enough to secure the win. Placing third was American Kate Douglass, who turned in a swim of 53.40.
China’s Tang Qianting set a pair of Asian records in the women’s 50 breaststroke. After covering her lap during prelims in 29.49, Tang sliced .05 off that effort in the evening, with her 29.44 now the continental standard. She was joined on the top step of the podium by Chinese rising star Zhang Zhanshuo, as he prevailed in the 200 freestyle with the lone sub-1:45 clocking of the evening. Zhang covered his four laps in 1:44.53, which placed the teenager ahead of Germany’s Lukas Maertens, who went 1:45.22.
The women’s 200 butterfly offered a showdown between China’s 13-year-old sensation Yu Zidi and American Regan Smith. Yu established a personal best of 2:05.71, marking her first trip under 2:06. That time was ahead of the 2:06.28 produced by Smith, the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the event.
The 800 freestyle ended with China’s Li Bingjie topping the field in 8:16.27, which was nearly three seconds clear of the 8:19.09 of Aussie Lani Pallister. Also going under 8:20 was China’s Yang Peiqi, who went 8:19.53.
In other action, South African Pieter Coetze was the only athlete to crack the 25-second barrier, his 24.83 placing ahead of the 25.01 of Italian Thomas Ceccon. On the women’s side, the 50 backstroke title went to China’s Wan Letian in a swim of 27.42. Another sprint triumph was claimed by China’s Dong Zhihao in the 50 breaststroke (27.26). The men’s 200 butterfly was won by China’s Xu Feng in 1:55.08.