Yan Zibei Clocks Chinese Record In 50 Breast At Nats

2019 CHINESE NATIONALS

• March 24th – March 31st
• Swimming and Diving Hall of Qingdao Sports Center
• LCM
• SwimSwam Meet Preview
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap
• Day 3 Recap

*Note: Results are only available through Chinese app

While competing on day 3 of the 2019 Chinese Nationals, Yan Zibei scored a new National Record in the men’s 50m breaststroke. Clocking a time of 26.96, the 23-year-old produced the first sub-27 second outing of his career, beating his previous personal best of 27.25. That mark was notched in prelims at the 2017 World Championships.

There in Budapest, Yan wound up not making the final, but was able to redeem himself with a silver medal performance in Jakarta at last year’s Asian Games in the same time of 27.25. He also took silver in the 100m breast there in a time of 59.31.

With his sub-27 second outing tonight, Yan ties America’s Ian Finnerty to become the 17th fastest performer ever in the event, as he also edges out Brazil’s Felipe Lima to sit atop the season’s world rankings throne.

Yan’s time was just .02 shy of the Asian Continental Record, currently held by Japanese Pan Pacific Champion Yasuhiro Koseki in 26.94.