Singapore World Swimming Championships: China's Swimming Team Sets Off

China's head swimming coach, Cui Dengrong, said before the team departed, "We aim to deliver a strong performance at the Singapore World Championships, but our primary focus remains on building and strengthening the team. This is the first major international competition in the new cycle following the Paris Olympics, so we’re still prioritizing the development of our young athletes and coaches. At the same time, competing on the global stage will allow us to gauge our current level and put ourselves to the test."

Among the male team members, Wang Shun is competing in his eighth World Championships, while Xu JiaYu is participating for the seventh time—both are over or nearing 30 years old. On the women’s side, Zhang Yufei is the only athlete born before the year 2000. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Yu Zidi has been drawing significant attention for her impressive performance at this year’s event. Yu Zidi has entered the 200m butterfly and the 200m and 400m individual medley—events that demand exceptional physical stamina. This World Championships will serve as a crucial real-world test for the young swimmer, who could become a key figure for China’s national team over the next two to three Olympic cycles.

Pan Zhanle, the world record holder in the men’s 100-meter freestyle, will compete in both the 100m and 200m freestyle events. At the previous 2024 Doha World Championships, Pan made history by clinching his first-ever gold medal in the men’s 100m freestyle final. However, the world record of 46.80 seconds he set during that race was achieved as the leadoff swimmer in the relay event—his breakthrough moment didn’t come until the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he delivered a stunning performance in the "Fly Fish Battle" of the men’s 100m freestyle, clocking an electrifying 46.40 seconds to officially cement his dominance in the event. In Singapore, Pan’s main rival will be Popovici, the former world record holder in the 100m freestyle who recently swam a blistering 46.71 this season. Meanwhile, Pan’s 200m freestyle also boasts world-class excellence, and he remains a key member of several prestigious relay teams as well.

In 2023, made history at the Fukuoka World Swimming Championships by sweeping all the men’s breaststroke events for gold medals. Although he fell short of winning an individual gold at the Paris Olympics, after nearly a year of careful adjustment, his mindset has matured significantly, solidifying his status as one of the world’s top male breaststroke athletes. All three of his breaststroke events remain highly anticipated and promising.

21-year-old Tang Qianting made her historic debut as world champion last year at the Doha World Championships, clinching the women’s 100m breaststroke title with a commanding performance. However, at the Paris Olympics, she narrowly missed out on the gold medal in the final stretch, falling just short at the finish line. Ahead of the upcoming World Championships, she confidently declared that her goal this time goes far beyond simply defending her title: "My ultimate aim has always been to break the world record, and my coach and I—and the entire team—are working tirelessly toward that very objective."

Several veteran athletes who have dedicated years to competing for the Chinese team remain the center of attention. Thirty-one-year-old Wang Shun first stepped onto the world stage at the 2011 Shanghai World Championships—and aside from strategically skipping the Doha event last year, he’s never missed a competition. This marks his eighth appearance on the global stage. Mentally "having already climbed the highest peaks," he still has a real shot at securing a medal in his signature event: the 200-meter individual medley.

Xu JiaYu, who will soon turn 30, has been China's dominant men's backstroke swimmer since the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona. Despite experiencing ups and downs in his competitive form, he remains among the world’s top backstroke athletes and continues to possess the strength needed to clinch a medal.

Zhang Yufei is the only athlete born before 2000 on the women's team,Compared to her previous role as a "model worker" juggling multiple events, this time she’ll compete only in the women’s 100-meter butterfly event individually—but may participate in select relay events depending on the situation.

Li Bingjie is entered in the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events, making her the Chinese swimming team athlete with the most individual events and the longest total swim distances.