The 2026 National Swimming Championships delivered a record-breaking night on June 17 at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Aquatic Arena, as Zhejiang swimmers Xu Jiayu and Yu Yiting both set new Asian records.

Xu Jiayu clocks 23.92 seconds to win gold and break the 17-year-old Asian record.  [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

In the men's 50-meter backstroke final, 31-year-old Olympic champion Xu Jiayu clocked 23.92 seconds to win gold and break the 17-year-old Asian record. He became the first Asian swimmer and the fourth in the world to finish the event in under 24 seconds.

"I wanted to see what it felt like to break the 24-second barrier — and now I know," Xu said after the race, adding that the breakthrough boosted his confidence in achieving future Olympic goals.

Yu Yiting (right) wins gold in the women's 200m individual medley in 2:06.82, settinga new Asian record. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

Yu Yiting also made history in the women's 200m individual medley, winning gold in 2:06.82 and shattering the previous Asian record. The Hangzhou Asian Games champion said the result exceeded her expectations after new coaching methods helped her break through a long-standing performance plateau.

The 2026 National Swimming Championships, held in Hangzhou from June 16 to 21, serve as a key selection event for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Zhejiang swimmers also claimed the men's 4×200m freestyle relay title, with stars including Sun Yang and Pan Zhanle helping the team secure another victory.