China Holds Off Brazil on the Final Day of the World Military Games

The Chinese team led the medal standings since day one of the World Military Games in Mungyeong, South Korea with both the most gold and total medals. On the final day of competition the Brazilians gave them a run for their money.

The Brazilians came away with the largest number of total medals, but the Chinese were able to take gold in the final two individual events which kept them on top of the medal standings until the end.

China came away with 24 medals (11 gold, seven silver and six bronze), Brazil earned 28 medals (10 gold, nine silver and nine bronze) while Russia finished third with 24 total medals (eight gold, eight silver and eight bronze).

There were several records broken on Saturday evening with one of the most impressive performances coming in the women’s 400 freestyle. Zhang Yuan of China dominated the event leading by almost three seconds at the 200 meter mark and finishing nearly six seconds ahead of the field.

Zhang posted a time of 4:06.70 destroying the games record of 4:11.60 set by Italian Martina de Memme at last year’s competition. Her time also puts her in the top position in the world rankings.

de Memme finished second in a time of 4:12.38 followed by Manuella Lyrio of Brazil who hit the wall in a time of 4:12.52.

Brazilian Joao Gomes Junior took down one of the competition’s oldest records in the men’s 50 breaststroke. Gomes Junior won the event in a time of 27.14 beating the record of 27.25 set by Roman Sludnov in 2001.

His time places second in the world rankings.

German Hendrik Feldwehr finished second in a time of 27.87, which puts him just outside the top five rankings. Italian Andrea Toniato finished third in a time of 28.19.

Mariia Liver of the Ukraine won the women’s 50 breaststroke in a time of 31.06 breaking the record of 31.30 set by German Dorothea Brandt last year. Suo Ran of China also swam a time which tied the old record posting a 31.30.

With their times Liver and Suo now sit second and third in the world rankings.

Two games records were set in both the women’s and men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relays.

In the women’s event China and Brazil had a back and forth battle. In the end Daynara de Paula of Brazil did not have enough to catch Liu Yiru of China. The Chinese team took the event in a time of 3:43.25 followed by the Brazilians who finished in a time of 3:43.37. Both teams were under the previous record of 3:43.99 set by the Brazilians last year.

The Brazilians took the men’s event with ease posting a winning time of 3:18.56 breaking the previous games record of 3:19.61 set by the Italians in 2009. The Russians finished second in a time of 3:21.07 followed by the South Koreans who hit the wall in a time of 3:22.62.

Russian Svetlana Chimrova won the women’s 100 butterfly close to a second and a half ahead of the field. Chimrova recorded a 58.67 followed by Anna Dowgiert of Poland who finished in a time of 1:00.13 and Jie Gong of China who touched in a time of 1:00.28.

Chimrova’s time puts her in the third place position in the world rankings.

Brazilian Henrique de Souza Martins won the men’s event in a time of 52.71 followed by Italian Piero Codia who touched in a time of 52.91. Oleksii Ivanov of the Ukraine finished third in a time of 53.14.

Russian Alexandra Papusha took the women’s 200 backstroke in a time of 2:15.91. She was followed by Brazilian Natalia de Luccas who posted a 2:16.27 and Nguyen Thi Anh Vien of Vietnam who recorded a 2:17.40.

German Christian Dienr won the men’s 200 backstroke in a time of 2:00.34. Nikita Babchenko of Russia finished second in a time of 2:01.07 followed by Brazilian Leonardo Gomes de Deus who finished in a time of 2:01.13.

Chinese teammates Qiao Zhongyi and Lu Lijun finished one two in the men’s 400 freestyle. Qiao took the event in a time of 3:52.65 followed by Lu who recorded a 3:53.21. Fabien Klich of Poland collected the bronze in a time of 3:53.94.

In the final event of the competition the Russian took home gold in the mixed 4 x 100 medley relay in a time of 3:52.13. They were followed by the Chinese who posted a 3:54.46 and the Brazilians who finished in a time of 3:55.68.

Full results can be found here.