Qingdao's rising star Zhang Zhanshuo, 17, secured his third gold medal at the Chinese National Spring Swimming Championships on Saturday, dominating the men's 200-meter individual medley with a time of 1:58.59. The teenager was the sole participant to finish under two minutes during the event held in Shandong Province.
Zhang previously won the 1500-meter freestyle and 200-meter butterfly titles during the competition, solidifying his status as one of China's most promising young athletes. "I need to raise the standard for myself," Zhang told reporters after his latest victory, emphasizing his commitment to improvement.
Other notable performances included He Junyi's razor-thin 48.44-second victory in the men's 100-meter freestyle – just 0.01 seconds ahead of silver medalist Wang Haoyu. On the women's side, Fujian's Chen Luying claimed gold in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:07.30, while Guangdong's Liu Yaxin set a personal best in the 1500-meter freestyle.
The championships have drawn attention from sports analysts and youth development programs across Asia, highlighting China's growing pipeline of swimming talent ahead of major international competitions.
