China's swimmer Qin Haiyang competes in the final of the men's 100m breaststroke swimming event during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on July 28, 2025. Photo: VCG

The Chinese swimming team clinched its first gold medal at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships on Monday in Singapore as Qin Haiyang powered to gold in the men's 100m breaststroke. The packed day of finals also saw Zhang Yufei finish fourth in the women's 100m butterfly, while the women's 200m individual medley added to the evening's high-stakes competition.

Qin clocked 58.23 seconds in the men's 100m breaststroke final, securing the gold medal. After the finals, Qin said he felt in good form and that he had really struggled over the past two years, so he's glad to finally come back to the discipline and he is very thankful to all those who support him.

"I didn't quite get into race mode on the first day, but I made some adjustments during the day today, and now I'm feeling much better." When asked about what he want to say to his fans, Qin said, "Thank you. Nailed it!"

Beijing-based sports commentator Wang Dazhao told the Global Times on Monday that while several of Qin's main rivals, such as Adam Peaty and Arno Kamminga, were absent from this year's championships, Qin's gold is still precious. 

Also competing was China's "medal magnet" Zhang Yufei, who took part in the women's 100m butterfly final and finished with 56.47 seconds for fourth place. The event has traditionally been fiercely contested, with strong contenders such as Gretchen Walsh of the US in the field. 

Zhang had injured her right ankle just before the championships began. Kinesiology tape could be seen on her ankle during the competition.

Zhang revealed after the final that she had a benchmark in mind for her performance before the race. 

"This result falls within that range - I'd give it an 8 or 9 out of 10," Zhang said. She also mentioned that she was in the same heat as Qin and felt their race strategies were quite similar. As for future plans, she said this will depend on adjustments made later on.

"Zhang's influence on the Chinese swimming team cannot be overlooked," Wang added. 

"She acts as a pillar for the younger generation. Just seeing her still competing at this level inspires the team's younger athletes to push themselves."

Among the most talked-about Chinese swimmers at the championships, apart from the established names, was teenage newcomer Yu Zidi, whose breakout performance surprised many international observers.

Yu competed in the women's 200m individual medley final on Monday night, finishing fourth place with an impressive time of 2:09.21. Reaching the final alone was already seen as a success, with only less than 0.1 seconds away from reaching the podium. However, she was still not entirely satisfied with her performance, as she had hoped to make it onto the podium before the race.

Facing widespread media attention, Yu, appearing somewhat inexperienced, said, "I don't think I'm a genius."

Several foreign media outlets praised the 12-year-old rising star, with CNN Sports calling her the "Chinese phenom taking the swimming world by storm," and The Sydney Morning Herald saying Yu "is ready to break an 89-year-old record."

According to Wang, China's young swimmers are starting to attract international attention. 

"The global swimming community has been watching to see who will follow in Pan Zhanle's footsteps and emerge as the next breakout Chinese star - and in what discipline."

Media reports also highlighted Li Bingjie, who finally overcame her long-standing rival, US legend Katie Ledecky. On Sunday night, Li broke her own Asian record in the women's 400m freestyle and edged out Ledecky to claim silver. This was Li's first-ever head-to-head win over the American. The silver was also China's first swimming medal in Singapore.

"After the Olympics, the Chinese swimming team changed its head coach. As this is a transitional year following the Games, with three more years to prepare for the next Olympics, the team still needs time to adjust, and there's more we can expect," Wang said.