Zhang Yufei in action during the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on July 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
Olympic gold medalists Zhang Yufei and Li Bingjie, and newly crowned world champion Qin Haiyang will compete at the FISU World University Games in Chengdu.
CHENGDU, July 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Olympic gold medalists Zhang Yufei and Li Bingjie, as well as newly crowned world champion Qin Haiyang, will compete in the upcoming FISU World University Games, Liu Zhenqing, deputy leader of China's swimming team, told Xinhua on Wednesday.
Qin has shone at the ongoing World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, having pocketed three gold medals so far.
"We have 35 swimmers here. 29 of them have been in the Universiade Village, and the other six who are in Japan will join us when the World Aquatics Championships close on July 30. We will compete in every swimming event during the FISU Games," said Liu.
Zhang, winner of women's 200m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympic Games, claimed her maiden 100m butterfly world title at the World Aquatics Championships.
Qin Haiyang in action during the men's 50m breaststroke final at the World Aquatics Championships. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
Qin won both men's 100m and 50m breaststroke at the Fukuoka worlds with new Asian records, and helped China stand on top of the podium in the mixed 4x100m medley relay, along with Zhang, Xu Jiayu and Cheng Yujie.
Li, a member of the winning women's 4x200m freestyle relay team in Tokyo, brought China a bronze medal in the 1,500m freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships.
Besides these elite swimmers, China's team also has a hearing-impaired athlete, Peng Huidi. "Peng is a student of Central South University. She may not achieve a good result here, but she will show us her outstanding determination," Liu commented.
Liu said China's swimming team is targeting at least six gold medals at the Games, whose competitions begin on August 1. ■
