Xinhua News Agency Swimming Review: Joyfully Watching Thousands of Waves in the Swimming Pool

In eight days, 41 gold medals were awarded to their respective winners; one Asian record was broken, and four national records were rewritten.

Amidst the shimmering blue waters, the “new wave” surges forward with the force of thunder, while the “old wave,” backed by its deep-rooted strength and unwavering commitment, continues to lead the way. At the swimming venue of the 15th National Games, these two forces intertwine and surge forth together, jointly propelling Chinese swimming forward in grand style.

The “new wave” is “challenging” the “old wave.”

Faster than Pan Zhanle and Sun Yang—so who is he?

On the very first day of the indoor swimming events at this National Games, people got a glimpse of the power of the “new generation.”

At the age of 18, Zhang Zhanshuo left everyone far behind in the men’s 400-meter freestyle final, winning the gold medal with a personal best time of 3 minutes and 42.82 seconds. During the race, he was 4.91 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Xu Haibo, and led his fellow competitors Pan Zhanle and Sun Yang by as much as 6.11 seconds and 6.71 seconds, respectively.

It’s worth noting that this result not only broke the world youth record but also ranks third in the historical achievements of Chinese athletes.

However, this is just the beginning.

The undergraduate student from the Journalism Department of Fudan University went on to win three individual gold medals in the 200-meter, 800-meter, and 1500-meter freestyle events in the subsequent competitions, becoming the second athlete after Sun Yang to claim four freestyle gold medals at a single National Games. In addition, he also helped the Shandong team secure the gold medal in the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay final.

In the women’s 200-meter individual medley final, 13-year-old “little sister” Yu Zidi swam the fourth-best time of the year, powerfully clinching the gold medal with a time of 2 minutes and 7.41 seconds—a new Asian record.

Thirteen years ago, when Ye Shiwen set an Asian record of 2 minutes and 7.57 seconds and won the gold medal at the London Olympics, Yu Zidi had not yet been born.

In the subsequent women’s 400-meter individual medley final, Yu Zidi once again outperformed all her rivals. The runner-up, Chang Mohan from the Henan team, and the third-place finisher, Ke Wenxi from the Hubei team, were both only 14 years old.

In fact, this wave of “newcomers” represented by Zhang Zhanshuo and Yu Zidi is no longer a mere “emergence”; rather, they’ve adopted a “competitive” stance and have become the undisputed dominant theme in the swimming pool at this year’s National Games. With gold medals and record-breaking performances, they’ve turned the vision of “the future has arrived” into a tangible reality.

The first wave leads the following waves.

As the “new wave” surges forward with great momentum, the “old guard” are far from being easily washed ashore. Relying on their wealth of experience, unwavering resilience, and an unyielding thirst for victory, they hold fast to their positions—and through a spirit of mentorship and mutual support, they lead the younger generation forward together.

At the National Swimming Championships in May, Xu Jiayu made a heartfelt wish: “I hope that in the future, more young athletes will emerge—this future definitely belongs to them, and I’ll feel completely at ease handing over the baton to them. I’m really looking forward to it.”

At this National Games, Xu Jiayu, who achieved his fourth consecutive title in the men’s 100-meter backstroke, not only savored the joy brought by his victory but also felt equally delighted that Wang Gukai, who finished second, and Jiang Chenglin, who took third place, both swam under the 54-second mark.

“Considering their age, I think taking this step now will further inspire them in their future careers,” said Xu Jiayu. He hopes to achieve even better results in the upcoming competitions and thereby motivate young backstroke swimmers.

Words must be followed by actions, and actions must yield results. In the men’s 50-meter backstroke semifinal, Xu Jiayu shattered his own national record—set four years ago—with a time of 24.36 seconds. After the race, young athlete Wang Zicheng from the Hubei team admitted frankly that he was deeply inspired by Xu Jiayu’s performance and managed to achieve his personal best in the competition.

As the athlete with the most gold medals in the National Games, Wang Shun has always faced no one but himself as his toughest competitor in the men’s 200-meter individual medley. At this year’s National Games, he swam a time of 1 minute and 56.20 seconds—a performance even better than the time he posted nine years ago when he won the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.

“I feel it’s important to set an example with my own actions, so that more young athletes can see and experience the spirit and energy of the Chinese swimming team. This sense of responsibility is what keeps me going,” Wang Shun said after the competition.

After the women’s 100-meter butterfly final, young athlete Wang Yichun, who had won the silver medal, felt physically exhausted and was helped off the pool by staff. She collapsed onto the ground beside the mixed-zone interview area. Zhang Yufei, who was in the middle of an interview at that moment, immediately dropped to her knees to check on her and ask how she was doing. Speaking about this heartwarming gesture, Zhang Yufei said, “She rose to fame at a young age but once hit a low point. Having been through a similar journey myself, I can really understand what she’s going through—it’s truly not easy, and I feel so sorry for this little sister.”

During the competition, Zhang Zhanshuo also spoke several times about Pan Zhanle’s help to him. “Actually, Coach Pan is also my idol—not just my rival; off the court, we have a very good relationship, and I often turn to him for advice on many issues.”

The self-discipline demonstrated by the “front-wave” athletes during training, their tactical acumen in competitions, and their ability to adapt under adversity are subtly yet powerfully passed on to the “new-wave” athletes. This “leading by example” is not merely a transfer of technical skills—it’s also a shaping of champion-like character, further solidifying the foundation of Chinese swimming.

Joyfully watching countless waves.

As the first Chinese swimmer ever to excel in backstroke, Xu Jiayu swept all three gold medals in the men’s backstroke events at this National Games, also achieving the remarkable feat of winning four consecutive titles in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke at the National Games.

Immediately afterward, after winning the gold medal in the men’s 400-meter individual medley, Wang Shun also achieved a double “four-consecutive-championship” in both the men’s 200-meter and 400-meter individual medleys at the National Games, bringing his total number of National Games gold medals to 19.

Zhang Yufei, who entered a recovery period after the Paris Olympics, resumed training less than half a year ago. At this year’s National Games, she once again swept both gold medals in the women’s 50-meter and 100-meter butterfly events.

The “five-time veterans” and “four-time veterans” of the National Games remain in top form. Meanwhile, the middle-generation athletes—represented by Pan Zhanle, Qin Haiyang, and Li Bingjie—have also demonstrated through their actions that they are the backbone of Chinese swimming.

Although Pan Zhanle had a less-than-stellar performance at this year’s National Games, the world record he set at the Paris Olympics remains unbroken to this day. As his rival, Romanian star Popovici, put it: “Competitive sports always experience ups and downs; after hitting a low point, one can emerge stronger than ever.”

After suffering a setback at the Paris Olympics in the individual events, Qian Haiyang rediscovered his form at the World Championships in Singapore. At this year’s National Games, Qian Haiyang effortlessly clinched gold medals in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke events, signaling with his gold medals the return of the “Breaststroke King.”

Li Bingjie, who excels in middle- and long-distance freestyle swimming, swept the gold medals in the women’s 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1500-meter events during the competition. In the women’s 200-meter freestyle, she narrowly lost to Hong Kong star Siobhan Haughey, who is renowned for her strength in short-distance events, finishing as the runner-up.

Meanwhile, the young athletes who are just beginning to shine are like newborn giant waves in the pool—rushing forward with an unstoppable momentum. When Yu Zidi broke her own record, Ye Shiwen sincerely wished her: “Records are meant to be broken. Congratulations on ushering in your own era! I’m thrilled to see such strong new talent emerging in Chinese swimming, and I’m looking forward to seeing her continue to create miracles for the Chinese team on the international stage.”

The surging energy of the swimming pool is a testament to the seamless relay between old and new generations. The ceaseless waves rippling through the National Games swimming pool will ultimately propel Chinese swimming toward even greater horizons in the future.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

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