Dive into the electrifying highs and heart-pounding moments of Day Eight's finals at the 2025 Chinese National Games – where swimmers shattered barriers and left spectators in awe, begging the question: could this be the spark of a new swimming era?
2025 Chinese National Games: Day Eight Finals Live Recap
The 2025 Chinese National Games unfolded from Monday, November 10th to Monday, November 17th, with a special focus on swimming events. Held in the vibrant city of Shenzhen, China, the competition took place in a Long Course Meters (LCM) pool, which measures 50 meters – the standard length for major international meets, allowing for faster, more explosive races compared to shorter pools. Preliminaries kicked off at 9am local time (equivalent to 8pm the previous night Eastern Time in the US), while the finals dazzled in the evening at 7pm local time (6am ET). For those tracking the excitement, check out the recaps from previous days: Day 1 (https://swimswam.com/2025-chinese-natinonal-games-day-one-finals-live-recap/), Day 2 (https://swimswam.com/2025-chinese-national-games-day-two-finals-live-recap/), Day 3 (https://swimswam.com/2025-chinese-national-games-day-three-finals-live-recap/), Day 4 (https://swimswam.com/2025-chinese-national-games-day-four-finals-live-recap/), Day 5 (https://swimswam.com/2025-chinese-national-games-day-five-finals-live-recap/), Day 6 (https://swimswam.com/2025-chinese-national-games-day-six-finals-live-recap/), and Day 7 (https://swimswam.com/2025-chinese-national-games-day-seven-finals-live-recap/). Stay in the loop with Meet Central at (https://wrs.baygames.cn/), full results at (https://wrs.baygames.cn/discipline/SWM/schedule?event=SWMW200MIM------------------------), and catch the live action on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/live/JYV1qBfVKhg?si=4rLnTZYd_eM8o2sj).
Men’s 50 Backstroke – Final
- World Record: 23.55, set by Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia) in 2023
- Asian Record: 24.24, held by Junya Koga (Japan) since 2009
- Chinese National Record: 24.36, achieved by Xu Jiayu (https://swimswam.com/bio/xu-jiayu/) in 2025
Gold Medal: Xu Jiayu (https://swimswam.com/bio/xu-jiayu/), 24.40
Silver Medal: Wang Zicheng (https://swimswam.com/tag/wang-zicheng/), 24.80
Bronze Medal: Jiang Chenglin (https://swimswam.com/tag/jiang-chenglin/), 25.01
What a thrilling display in the men's 50m backstroke final! Two talented swimmers broke through the 25-second mark, led by the seasoned 30-year-old Olympic medalist Xu Jiayu (https://swimswam.com/bio/xu-jiayu/). He clocked an impressive 24.40, coming close to his own national record of 24.36 from the semifinals. This event highlights how consistency and precision can make all the difference in short, explosive sprints. Wang Zicheng (https://swimswam.com/tag/wang-zicheng/) claimed second place with a solid 24.80, while Jiang Chenglin (https://swimswam.com/tag/jiang-chenglin/) secured bronze at 25.01. Interestingly, Jiang's third-place finish adds to his earlier podium spot in the 100m backstroke, and Xu Jiayu's victory completes a dominant sweep of the backstroke events. But here's where it gets controversial – is Xu Jiayu's dominance a sign of unparalleled talent, or does it raise questions about the depth of competition in Chinese swimming? Fans debate whether such clean sweeps stifle innovation or inspire the next generation.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke – Final
- World Record: 29.16, by Ruta Meilutyte (Lithuania) in 2023
- Asian Record: 29.51, set by Tang Qianting (https://swimswam.com/tag/tang-qianting/) (China) in 2024
- Chinese National Record: 29.51, also by Tang Qianting (https://swimswam.com/tag/tang-qianting/) (China) in 2024
Gold Medal: Tang Qianting (https://swimswam.com/tag/tang-qianting/), 30.00
Silver Medal: Yang Chang (https://swimswam.com/tag/yang-chang/), 30.11
Bronze Medal: Siobhan Haughey (https://swimswam.com/bio/siobhan-haughey/) (Hong Kong), 30.71
Tang Qianting (https://swimswam.com/tag/tang-qianting/) entered the women's 50m breaststroke final as the top seed and turned that expectation into reality with a gleaming gold medal. Her time of 30.00 was just a whisker faster than her 30.01 from the preliminary round, showcasing the razor-thin margins that separate champions in sprint events. Yang Chang (https://swimswam.com/tag/yang-chang/) improved dramatically from her earlier 30.56, posting 30.11 for silver – a testament to how athletes can elevate their performance under pressure. Representing Hong Kong, Siobhan Haughey (https://swimswam.com/bio/siobhan-haughey/) earned bronze with 30.71, and she'll be back in action soon for the 50m freestyle. This victory for Tang feels like sweet redemption after her surprising upset in the 200m breaststroke, where 15-year-old Lyu Qinyao edged her out for gold despite Tang being the favorite. And this is the part most people miss – both Tang and Haughey stood on the podium at the 2023 Asian Games for this very event, with Tang taking gold in 29.96 and Haughey claiming bronze in 30.36, which set a Hong Kong record. It begs the question: in a sport where youth is increasingly prominent, how do we balance celebrating young breakthroughs with acknowledging the grit of experienced athletes? Do these results challenge the idea that age equates to peak performance, or is it simply a matter of timing and training?
Women’s 50 Freestyle – Final
- World Record: 23.61, by Sarah Sjöström (Sweden) in 2023
- Asian Record: 23.97, set by Liu Xiang (China) in 2021
- Chinese National Record: 23.97, also by Liu Xiang (China) in 2021
Gold Medal: Wu Qingfeng (https://swimswam.com/tag/wu-qingfeng/), 24.21
Silver Medal: Cheng Yujie (https://swimswam.com/tag/cheng-yujie/), 24.23
Bronze Medal: Siobhan Haughey (https://swimswam.com/bio/siobhan-haughey/) (Hong Kong) and Lu Yue, both 24.84
The 22-year-old Wu Qingfeng (https://swimswam.com/tag/wu-qingfeng/) proved unstoppable in the women's 50m freestyle, sprinting to victory with a blistering 24.21 – a time that narrowly trailed her personal best of 24.18 from May this year, making her China's third-fastest performer ever in this event. For context, that PB helped her earn a bronze in the relay at the Paris Olympics, and her silver at this year's World Championships in 24.26 shows her rising star status. Cheng Yujie (https://swimswam.com/tag/cheng-yujie/) finished just behind at 24.23, improving her personal best by 0.05 seconds from the 24.28 she recorded for bronze in Singapore earlier. And in a surprising twist, Siobhan Haughey – fresh from her bronze in the 50m breaststroke – and Lu Yue tied for the remaining bronze spot at 24.84. But wait, the drama didn't stop there; Zhang Yufei (https://swimswam.com/bio/zhang-yufei/) and the 13-year-old Wu Yunhan crossed the finish line simultaneously at 24.93, sharing fifth place. This tie underscores the intensity of modern swimming, where fractions of a second can change everything. Controversially, some argue that allowing such young swimmers like Wu Yunhan to compete at this level accelerates their careers too quickly, potentially leading to burnout – what do you think? Is the push for early success worth the risks, or does it foster a healthier competitive environment?
Men’s 1500 Freestyle – Final
- World Record: 14:30.67, by Bobby Finke (USA) in 2024
- Asian Record: 14:31.02, set by Sun Yang (China) in 2012
- Chinese National Record: 14:31.02, also by Sun Yang (China) in 2012
Gold Medal: [Results pending]
Silver Medal: [Results pending]
Bronze Medal: [Results pending]
Men’s 400 Individual Medley – Final
- World Record: 4:02.50, by Léon Marchand (France) in 2023
- Asian Record: 4:06.06, set by Kosuke Hagino (Japan) in 2016
- Chinese National Record: 4:09.10, by Wang Shun in 2013
Gold Medal: [Results pending]
Silver Medal: [Results pending]
Bronze Medal: [Results pending]
Women’s 400 Individual Medley – Final
- World Record: 4:23.65, by Summer McIntosh (Canada) in 2025
- Asian Record: 4:28.43, set by Ye Shiwen (China) in 2012
- Chinese National Record: 4:28.43, also by Ye Shiwen (China) in 2012
Gold Medal: [Results pending]
Silver Medal: [Results pending]
Bronze Medal: [Results pending]
Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay – Final
- World Record: 3:26.78, by the USA in 2021
- Asian Record: 3:27.01, set by China in 2023
- Chinese National Record: 3:27.01, by China in 2023
Gold Medal: [Results pending]
Silver Medal: [Results pending]
Bronze Medal: [Results pending]
Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay – Final
- World Record: 3:49.34, by the USA in 2025
- Asian Record: 3:52.19, set by China in 2009
- Chinese National Record: 3:52.19, by China in 2009
Gold Medal: [Results pending]
Silver Medal: [Results pending]
Bronze Medal: [Results pending]
In This Story
- Xu Jiayu (https://swimswam.com/bio/xu-jiayu/)
Xu Jiayu (https://swimswam.com/bio/xu-jiayu/)
About Retta Race
Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) Race juggles a busy life with remarkable poise. She's recently completed her MBA while holding down a full-time job in IT, running her own boutique called French 75, and sharing expert swimming insights for the BBC. Her journey illustrates how passion for swimming can blend seamlessly with diverse professional pursuits.
Read More » (https://swimswam.com/bio/retta-race/)
As we wrap up this recap of Day Eight, it's clear that the 2025 Chinese National Games are delivering drama, records, and unforgettable moments. But here's a thought to ponder: with so much focus on individual achievements, are team events like relays being undervalued in the global conversation? And what about the inclusion of younger swimmers – does it excite you or make you concerned about long-term athlete welfare? Share your views in the comments: do you agree that dominance by a few stars elevates the sport, or should we advocate for more competitive balance to inspire newcomers? Let's discuss!
