Pan Zhanle Claims 100 Freestyle Title at Chinese Nationals; 12-Year-Old Yu Zidi Stuns in 200 Butterfly
An established Olympic champion and a rising star highlighted the fifth night of the Chinese National Championships on Wednesday, as Pan Zhanle and 12-year-old Yu Zidi earned victories.
The session opened with the pre-teen sensation, Yu, claiming the title in the 200-meter butterfly, as she produced a winning time of 2:06.83. That effort was more than a second clear of the 2:08.04 of Ma Yonghui, who placed second. The 12-year-old Yu qualified for the World Championships in Singapore in her second event, complementing an earlier ticket in the 200 individual medley.
The fact that a 12-year-old is producing these types of times is stunning, and speaks to the precocious nature of the youngster. Not only is she obviously gifted from a talent perspective, she is handling a high-pressured meet with the skill of a veteran. Yu still has the 400 individual medley to come, and given her massive time drops already, she figures to be well below her career best of 4:40, which she established last year as an 11-year-old.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Pan had no trouble winning the 100 freestyle, thanks to a swim of 47.77. Although he was more than a second off his world record of 46.40, Pan took care of business and added to his previous triumphs in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle. Pan still has the 50 freestyle on his schedule, and will then have to determine his lineup for the World Champs.
In the men’s 200 individual medley, 2020 Olympic champion Wang Shun easily topped the field in his prime event, as he touched the wall in 1:56.58. Wang prevailed by nearly three seconds over runnerup Xie Yichen (1:59.58). In the women’s 50 backstroke, gold went to Wan Letian in 27.56.
