The 2025 Chinese National Games: Day Five Unveils Surprises and Record-Breaking Performances
The fifth day of the 2025 Chinese National Games, held from November 10th to 17th in Shenzhen, China, delivered a thrilling showcase of swimming talent. With events spanning the 50-meter pool (LCM), the competition reached its peak during the finals, which took place at 7 pm local time (6 am ET). For those who missed the action, recaps of previous days are available, including Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4. Fans can also follow the action via Meet Central, check results, or watch the livestream.
But here's where it gets controversial... In the women’s 200m butterfly final, 13-year-old prodigy Yu Zidi entered as the top seed, but it was Chen Luying who claimed gold with a time of 2:05.45, edging out Yu’s 2:06.57 and Zhang Yufei’s 2:07.90. This result sparked debates about the future of young athletes in high-stakes competitions. Chen’s victory not only marked a personal best but also solidified her place as China’s 5th-fastest in this event historically, behind legends like Liu Zige (2:01.81, 2009) and Zhang Yufei (2:03.85, 2021).
And this is the part most people miss... While the women’s 200m fly stole the spotlight, the men’s 200m backstroke semi-finals hinted at Xu Jiayu’s quest for a 4th consecutive title, while Pan Zhanle’s underwhelming 48.01 in the 100m freestyle final raised eyebrows. Despite holding the world record at 46.40 (2024), Pan’s performance left fans questioning his form. Meanwhile, Wang Shun dominated the 200m IM with a gold-winning 1:56.20, cementing his global ranking at #2.
In other events, Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong continued her comeback post-injury, topping the women’s 100m freestyle semi-finals with a 53.46, just shy of her Asian record (52.02, 2023). The women’s 200m breaststroke semi-finals saw Zhu Leiju lead with 2:25.96, while Ye Shiwen, the reigning Asian Games champion, scraped into the finals with 2:28.66. The women’s 50m backstroke final crowned Wan Letian (27.38) as gold medalist, narrowly beating Wang Xueer (27.50) and Chen Jie (27.76).
Controversy & Comment Hooks: Is Pan Zhanle’s dominance waning, or is this a strategic dip? Can young talents like Yu Zidi sustain their rise without burning out? Share your thoughts below—let’s dive into the debate!
