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SCMP Sport

Artistic swimmer Xu Huiyan claimed China’s first gold of the World Aquatics Championships, continuing her dominance of the women’s solo technical event on Saturday.
The 19-year-old, who comfortably qualified first for the final, was again too good for her rivals, posting a score of 272.9917 at the WAC Arena in Singapore.
Vasilina Khandoshka, who qualified second, took silver with 260.5416, and Spain’s Iris Tio Casas’ 260.2917 was good enough for bronze.
The gold medal was Xu’s first at a world championships, and came on the back of the five she won at the World Cup Super Final last month.
“It feels pretty emotional, because something I hoped for but hadn’t dared to think about before is now a reality before me,” she said.

“When I was waiting in the call room for my turn, it was quite nerve-racking. But after I started my routine, I felt calmer.”
Xu had already been in the pool once on Saturday, helping her China teammates qualify first in the preliminary round of the team free event, and she said doing that had helped her “move more freely” when it came to her individual battle.
Heading into the day, Xu had said being favourite to win was both “motivation and pressure”, and that was not something that changed with her first title.
“I don’t feel greater relief, even with one gold medal,” Xu said. “I don’t think about how many I’m going to win – I just take it one routine at a time.
“We’re not going to rest on our laurels. With the new rules, everything is possible, especially in the final. All we can do is put our best forward, be united as a team, and bring our best performance to the final.”
While Xu’s gold was her first, German star Florian Wellbrock will go for an unprecedented fourth open-water swimming gold – in the 4 x 1,500m mixed relay – on Sunday after dominating the individual events.

Saturday’s 3km knockout sprint gold followed 10km and 5km gold for the 27-year-old. He is the first man or woman to win three individual gold medals in open-water swimming at a World Aquatics Championships.
It has been a remarkable return to form for Tokyo 10km Olympic champion Wellbrock, who struggled at last year’s Paris Games.
“I have no idea how I did it,” Wellbrock told reporters. “But I like knockout races; it’s so nice because you can feel that every lap is faster. The strategy was to have a good position in the 1500m and 1km, and being in the top position in the 500m.”


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Swimming

Artistic swimmer Xu Huiyan claims China’s first gold of World Aquatics Championships

China’s Xu Huiyan qualified first for the women’s solo technical final on Saturday at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Photo: AP

Xu said helping China qualify for the team event earlier had calmed her nerves. Photo: EPA

Florian Wellbrock is going for an unprecedented fourth open-water gold medal on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

World Aquatics Championships: China’s Xu, Lin twins make strong start to artistic events

Xu Huiyan competes during the women’s solo technical preliminary round in Singapore. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Lin Yanhan and Lin Yanjun perform during the duet technical preliminary round. Photo: Reuters

All eyes on Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi, 12, who takes stunning times to world championships

Twelve-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi celebrates on the podium after winning the 400m individual medley at the National Swimming Championships in Shenzhen in May. Photo: AP

Yu Zidi at China’s National Swimming Championships in Shenzhen in May. Photo: AFP

Yu Zidi (left) and teammate Li Bingjie train together in the land training room at their swimming club. Photo: AP

Sport

Other Sport

The multiple World Cup winner continued her dominance of the women’s solo technical event at the WAC Arena in Singapore


The multiple World Cup winner continued her dominance of the women’s solo technical event at the WAC Arena in Singapore.


Singapore

World Aquatics Championships

Florian Wellbrock

Artistic swimmer Xu Huiyan claims China’s first gold of World Aquatics Championships

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The multiple World Cup winner continued her dominance of the women’s solo technical event at the WAC Arena in Singapore

The multiple World Cup winner continued her dominance of the women’s solo technical event at the WAC Arena in Singapore