The curtain lowered on 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup Jinan on Saturday with the hosts China collecting seven gold medals in total from the three-day competition.
China's Zhang Yufei won the women's 100m butterfly on Saturday with a time of 57.41 seconds, leaving Denmark's veteran Jeanette Ottesen second in 58.34 and Hungary's Zsuzsanna Jakabos third in 58.39.
"I am really happy with the time, which is my fastest time of the year and is much faster than my World Championships time," Zhang said.
Zhang continued her good run of form in the 4x100m mixed medley relay and helped China win gold with a new World Cup record time 3:43.79.
"After the 4x100m mixed medley relay was admitted into the Olympic Games in 2017, we tried hard to qualify for the Games. Now the top 12 seats were decided after the Gwangju worlds, so we will do our best to make the top 16," she added.
Hungary's Olympic and world champion Katinka Hosszu became the biggest winner here in Jinan with four gold medals. She bagged her fourth title Saturday by winning the women's 200m individual medley in 2:09.41. Her teammate Jakabos came second in 2:13.32, while Australian Emily Seebohm finished third in 2:17.39.
Seebohm went through a hard night Saturday as the 200m backstroke world record holder took part in four events in a night. After winning 200m back in 2:09.56, the veteran took a fourth finish in 50m breaststroke and a bronze in 200m individual medley. The Australian was also a part of the relay team who took silver in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
Her teammate Mitchell Larkin collected his third gold medal in Jinan as he touched home first in the men's 100m backstroke in 53.79. Larkin also won the 200m individual medley and 200m backstroke.
Jamaica's Alia Atkinson was the champion of the women's 50m breaststroke with a time of 30.92.
"It was good. Although it was slower than I wanted, but I think it's because I am tired after the three days competition," said Atkinson, who also won the 100m breast on Friday.
"We are going to Singapore [the third leg of the FINA Swimming World Cup], but not sure yet about Budapest," she added. "The Tokyo Games will be my fifth Olympic Games, and right now I need to get faster every time I swim to prepare for it."
Lithuania's Danas Rapsys was also impressive in Jinan as he set two World Cup records here. After winning 400m freestyle on Thursday, Rapsys broke the 200m freestyle World Cup record and win the title in 1:45.07, leaving China's Ji Xinjie second in 1:46.68.
Asked why he was so fast in Jinan, Rapsys said, "I don't know. Maybe a little bit rest [after Tokyo]. But I did want to go under 45 (1:45), it was very close. For now, it's good."
Freestyle specialist Cate Campbell of Australia, who won the 50m fly just for fun on Friday, returned to her signature 100m freestyle and won the race in a new World Cup record 52.34. Sweden's Michelle Coleman finished second in 53.73, while the bronze went to China's Zhang Yuhan in 56.52.
In the women's 800m freestyle, Erica Sullivan of the United States touched the line first in 8:26.13. Sullivan was also the 400m freestyle winner here. China's Hou Yawen ranked second in 8:26.79, while Maddy Gough of Australia came third.
Later in the night Sullivan took part in the 200m back and finished third.
"I'm hurting a lot. It's really painful. The 800m free and 200m back combo is not an easy one, but I tried hard. I'm really happy with the result but I'm really tired," Sullivan said. "I am going to Singapore, and I will start training for Tokyo 2020."
Elsewhere on Saturday, Hungary's Szebasztian Szabo won the men's 50m butterfly, while American Andrew Wilson triumphed in the men's 200m breaststroke.
Australia's Thomas Fraser-Holmes felt lonely in the men's 400m individual medley as he powered ahead in the race to win in 4:20.50.
Jinan is the second leg of the 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup which includes seven legs. The next leg will be held in Singapore from August 15 to 17.
