Photo: Xinhua

Chinese swimmer Tang Qianting won her first-ever long course women's 100m breaststroke world title at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships on early Wednesday with a personal record. This is the first time after 21 years that a Chinese athlete wins the championship again.

The 19-year-old, who surged ahead in the race, finished the race at one minute and 5.27 seconds, followed by the Netherlands' Tes Schouten and Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, China. The victory sealed China's first World Championships gold in this event since 2003.

It wasn't until her competitors congratulated her that she glanced at the venue's large screen and discovered her achievement. Overwhelmed with emotion, Tang burst into tears upon realizing her victory, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Tang said she didn't expect to achieve such a good result and was pleasantly surprised. "I am now very confident and determined. My next goal is the Paris Olympics, swimming under 1 minute and 5 seconds and standing on the podium."

The last time a Chinese athlete won a gold medal in the women's breaststroke at the World Championships was in the 2003 Barcelona World Championships. 

Currently, Tang Qianting also holds the top four best times in the women's 100-meter breaststroke in Asia.

In recent years, Tang has emerged as a beacon of hope for Chinese swimming. In 2023, she shattered the Asian record of the women's 50m breaststroke at the Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships. Her stellar performance continued at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where she secured gold in the same event, also setting a new Asian record.

At the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), 17-year-old Tang performed remarkably well, successfully bringing home the women's 100m breaststroke champion. That same year, Tang represented China at the Tokyo Olympics, securing 10th place in the 100m breaststroke and helping China achieve fourth place in the 4x100m medley relay, according to Xinhua.

On Sunday, Tang participated as a representative in the World Aquatics press conference, where it was announced that Beijing would host the World Championships in 2029, providing her with additional motivation.

"I was fantasizing during the conference that by 2029 I would be considered a veteran. By then, I will lead China to create new history," she said. "This gold medal has given me motivation. As long as you are brave, there will be results. I believe it will be the same at the Paris Olympics."
 

Global Times