(ECNS) — Rising Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi won the women’s 100m butterfly in a personal-best 58.10 seconds at the 2026 China Elite Nationals (Outdoor) in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on Saturday.
The competition, held in an outdoor pool, features 30 individual events across freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and medley, with no relays. For many athletes, competing outdoors was a new experience.
Yu, born in October 2012, also claimed bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle. Her winning time of 58.10 seconds in the butterfly marked a new personal best.
Middle-distance freestyle swimmer Li Bingjie won the women's 200m individual medley in 2:14.91, saying the sport helped her adapt to multiple races in a short span.
“The air feels fresher outdoors, and the setting is quite different,” she said. “This competition allows me to gain experience ahead of the Olympics.”
Asian Games preparations saw swimmers enter events outside their specialties. Zhang Yufei finished fifth in the women’s 200m medley, noting her Olympic training was progressing steadily. Qin Haiyang won the men’s 50m breaststroke in 26.78, while Fei Liwei took the men’s 400m freestyle in 3:50.68.
(By Helen Mo, intern Wu Jingjing)
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