Yang Junxuan sets Asian record, Yu Yiting betters world junior mark

QINGDAO -- The Chinese National Swimming Championships witnessed the birth of a new generation as 19-year-old Yang Junxuan broke the women's 200m freestyle Asian record while 15-year-old Yu Yiting renewed the world junior mark in the women's 200m individual medley here on Tuesday.

Yang clocked a time of one minute 54.57 seconds for the 200m free victory, slicing 0.13 seconds off the Asian record of 1:54.70 she set in China's Swimming Challenge meet in Zhaoqing in early March, which is still awaiting official recognition of the Asian Swimming Federation.

Li Bingjie snatched a silver medal with 1:56.64 and Tang Muhan finished third with 1:57.83.

"I did not think about the record, but just tried to improve myself. I think I feel better at adapting to the morning final. I guess the way I can wake up and achieve good results in the morning final is to warm up for more time than usual," Yang said.

Yu Yiting, who led the 200m individual medley from start to finish, smashed 2:09.64 for the gold medal, beating Chen Xinyin and Olympic champion Ye Shiwen into second and third places, 2:11.58 and 2:12.57, respectively.

Yu beat the 200m IM world junior record twice in two days as she swept 2:09.88 in the heats on May 2, replacing the previous mark set by Japan's Rikako Ikee of 2:09.98 in 2017.

"I had no pressure before the final as my coach told me to follow my own heart and pace in the final. I entered the national team at the end of last year and had more physical training and that helped me a lot. But my weakness is backstroke that I really need to improve," Yu said.

Wang Jianjiahe dominated the women's 1,500m freestyle final in 15.49.07, three seconds slower than her personal best and her own Asian record. Li Bingjie came second in 15:58.35.