China's National Swimming Championships concluded in Shenzhen on Saturday with a series of electrifying performances, showcasing both seasoned champions and rising stars. The event, held in the Chinese mainland's tech hub of Guangdong Province, drew attention for its blend of record-breaking swims and youthful talent.
Olympian Wang Shun stole the spotlight in the men's 400-meter individual medley, shattering an 11-year championship record with a time of 4:10.64. His rival Zhang Zhanshuo pushed him through three strokes before settling for silver at 4:11.86—a result that secured Zhang's qualification for July's World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Remarkably, Zhang had claimed gold in the 1500-meter freestyle just 15 minutes earlier.
The women's events revealed China's pipeline of young talent. Twelve-year-old Yu Zidi edged out 14-year-old Chang Mohan in the 400-meter individual medley (4:35.53 to 4:37.33), while Wu Qingwen dominated the 50-meter freestyle in 24.18 seconds.
Pan Zhanle cemented his status as the championships' most decorated athlete, earning his ninth gold medal through a collaborative victory in the men's 4×100-meter medley relay (3:41.35) alongside Xu Jiayu, Dong Yifan, and Shen Jiahao.
