Singapore World Aquatics Championships: A Glorious Retrospective of the "Pool Battles"
Xinhua News Agency, Singapore, August 3 (Reporters Li Jia, Xia Liang, Yue Chenxing) — The Singapore World Swimming Championships concluded on the evening of August 3, as the splashes of water finally gave way to calm. Over the eight-day "pool showdown," three world records were shattered, and swimmers from around the globe etched unforgettable summer swimming legends—both in and out of the pool.
Qin Haiyang's "Eighth Miracle"
Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang, who experienced a slump at the Paris Olympics, once again proved his dominance in Singapore, reclaiming the title of "Breaststroke King." In the men’s 200m breaststroke final on Day 1, he delivered an unforgettable "Lane 8 miracle," clinching his second individual gold medal of this year’s World Championships. Earlier, he had already secured China’s first-ever gold in swimming at these championships with a thrilling victory in the 100m breaststroke. Additionally, Qin added a bronze medal to his tally in the 50m breaststroke event.
On August 1, Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang clinched the gold medal in the men's 200m breaststroke final at the 2025 World Swimming Championships held in Singapore. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun.
"Previously, if I had to give myself a score, I might have marked it around 90, saying I still have room to improve. But this time, I feel completely confident giving myself 100 points," said Qin Haiyang.
Li Bingjie Claims First Victory Over Ledecky
In swimming competitions, sometimes a silver medal can carry just as much "gold" as the gold itself. On July 27, 23-year-old Li Bingjie made history by defeating her longtime rival and role model in the women’s 400m freestyle event at this year’s World Championships—she clinched victory with a stunning final sprint to edge out American legend Katie Ledecky, securing the silver medal, while Ledecky claimed bronze. At 28, Ledecky remains an insurmountable "mountain" in long-distance freestyle, proudly holding nine Olympic gold medals.
On July 27, the women's 400m freestyle final of the 2025 World Swimming Championships took place in Singapore, with China's Li Bingjie (bottom) competing. She ultimately finished as the runner-up. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xia Yifang captured the photo.
"After the race, Li Bingjie burst into tears on the spot, saying, 'She’s someone I’ve always wanted to surpass since I was a kid.' I remember back in 2017, I already declared that I aimed to outshine her—she’s always been an absolutely legendary athlete in my eyes, and I’ve learned so much from her over the years. Today, finally beating her fills me with immense emotion; it feels like overcoming Ledecky has been a lifelong dream of mine." Li Bingjie also secured the silver medal in the women’s 200m freestyle and claimed bronze in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
Ledecky also had her own standout moment, clinching her eighth consecutive title in the 800m freestyle at the World Championships.
12-year-old Yu Zidi Shocks the World
Twelve-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi shone at the World Championships, standing out alongside some of the world’s top athletes. Competing in three individual events in Singapore, she not only broke her personal bests in all three but also finished fourth in each. In the 200-meter individual medley final, she was just 0.06 seconds away from the podium. Additionally, she delivered impressive performances in both the 200-meter butterfly and the 400-meter individual medley.
On August 3, the women's 400m individual medley final of the 2025 World Swimming Championships was held in Singapore. Pictured here is China's Yu Zidi during the race start. She ultimately finished fourth. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xue Yuge captured the photo.
Yu Zidi was also part of the Chinese team in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay preliminary round. Although she didn’t compete in the final, under competition rules, she still earned a relay bronze medal. As a result, she made history by becoming the youngest-ever medalist in the history of the Swimming World Championships.
Marchand breaks the 200m individual medley world record
French Olympic champion Marchand swam a stunning 1:52.69 in the men’s 200m individual medley semifinal on July 30, shattering the world record. After the race, Marchand couldn’t help but exclaim how unbelievable the result was. "I knew I might come close to my personal best today, but the craziest part was going nearly a full second faster—it’s still hard to believe. I’m absolutely thrilled!"
On July 30, the men's 200m individual medley semifinal of the 2025 World Swimming Championships was held in Singapore, where Marchand shattered the world record with a time of 1:52.69. Pictured: Marchand celebrating after the semifinal. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xia Yifang photographed this moment.
Marcelo also claimed the men's 400m individual medley title at the World Championships in Singapore, and helped the French team secure a silver medal in the men's 4x100m medley relay.
Popovich and Pan Zhanle Share a Mutual Respect
It’s not just about racing each other in the pool—there’s also a mutual respect and admiration among the top athletes. At the training pool during the Singapore World Championships, Romanian star Popovici exchanged swim caps with Pan Zhanle and even posed for a memorable photo together.
On July 30, the men's 100-meter freestyle semifinal of the 2025 World Swimming Championships took place in Singapore. Pictured here is Romanian swimmer Popovici during the race. Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun photographed the event.
Paris Olympic champion Pan Zhanle, who holds the men’s 100m freestyle world record, had a less-than-stellar performance at the World Championships, failing to advance from the 100m semifinals. Meanwhile, Popovici delivered a stunning swim in the final, clocking a historic second-fastest time of 46.51 seconds to claim the gold medal—just 0.11 seconds shy of Pan Zhanle’s world record. After the race, Popovici shared his thoughts: "Pan Zhanle has always earned my respect, as well as the respect of everyone here. I hope he’ll cheer me on. And I’m confident he understands that competitive sports are all about ups and downs—sometimes you hit a low point, but that’s precisely when you have the chance to come back stronger than ever."
The Young Prodigy's Relentless Determination
For top-level athletes, the goal sometimes goes beyond just winning gold—it’s about striving for something even greater. Though Canada’s 18-year-old prodigy, McIntosh, claimed the women’s 200m butterfly gold on July 31, smashing her personal best in the process, she still felt deeply disappointed. Immediately after seeing her time on the scoreboard, tears welled up in her eyes. This young swimming star wasn’t just after the gold medal; she had her sights set squarely on breaking the world record of 2:01.81, set by China’s legendary Liu Zige back in 2009. In the end, McIntosh touched the wall first with a stunning personal best of 2:01.99, which also earned her the meet record—but unfortunately, she fell just 0.18 seconds short of Liu Zige’s iconic mark.
On August 3, the women's 400m individual medley final of the 2025 World Swimming Championships was held in Singapore. Pictured: Canadian champion McIntosh during the medal ceremony. Xinhua News Agency reporter Luo Yuan took the photo.
McIntosh couldn’t hide his disappointment: "Breaking that world record has been the goal I’ve been training for all along. Watching how close I was—just a tiny bit away—I know I should feel satisfied tonight, but deep down, I didn’t quite reach my target."
She won four gold medals and one bronze at the World Championships in Singapore.
