Chinese winter long course championships: Day 1

Qingdao, Shandong (24/12/2012)

While all the Chinese Olympic medalists skipped this meet right at the end of the year, Some up and coming swimmers are in aciton. Zhang Qibin, who had several wins in recent world cup, won easily in men's 100 fly at a modest 53.47. Jiang Yuhui, one of the main 200m freestyler in Chinese team, got the win over up and coming Bian Shaoqi from Sichuan province. Having been in Chinese top 5, Li Xiang from Tianjin won men's 400m IM at 4:18.61, about 4 seconds off his PB, in the absence of his main competitors like Huang Chaosheng, Yang Zhixian and Wang Shun. The win was not handy as a Zhejiang newcomer, Shi Yi, was only 9/100 second behind Li. Zhang Jiaqi, who has been competiting in national and world cup stages, won her 1st national champion in women's 100m free at 55.42. The traditional powerhouse of the event, Shanghai swimmers, however, were not in top 3 but their women swept wins from the remaining events, 200m fly and 400m IM. Among them, Zhou Min, who was 3rd in April Nationals behind Olympic champion Ye Shiwen and bronze medalist, Li Xuanxu, was runner-up in 200m fly and then came back to win 400m IM. Surprisingly, Zhou Lili, a long distance free specialist and a 8th finisher in 400m free in recent short course Worlds, won the women's 200m fly. This meet serves as a qualifying competition for National Games next year     


Men


100m butterfly
1. Zhang Qibin (Shandong Province) 53.47 seconds
2. Ning Zeshou (Navy of PRC) 54.19
3. Wang Yuxi (Shandong Province) 54.36

200m freestyle

1. Jiang Yuhui (Shanghai) 1 minute 49.85 seconds
2. Bian Shaoqin (Sichuan Province) 01:50.51
3. Zhang Jie (Shanghai) 01:51.09

400m individual medley

1. Li Xiang (Tianjin) 04:18.61
2. Shi Yi (Zhejiang Province) 04:18.70
3. Sun Yunchao (Shanghai) 04:24.58

Women

100m freestyle

Zhang Jiaqi (Beijing) 55.42 seconds
Cao Yue (Shanxi) 55.61
Zhang Ying (Guangdong) 56.15

200m butterfly

1. Zhou Lili (Shanghai) 02:12.10
2. Zhou Min (Shanghai) 02:12.61
3. Jiang Yue (Navy of PRC) 02:14.29

400m individual medley

Zhou Min (Shanghai) 04:42.77
Pang Wenxian (Tianjin) 04:45.22
Luo Xiaomei (Hunan) 04:48.47