Swimming: Xu Jiayu renews backstroke national record

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01:33

China collected four gold medals out of 12 opening events in the FINA Short Course Swimming World Cup in Beijing on Friday. China's Asian Games champion Xu Jiayu continued his good form by winning the 200 meters backstroke.

The 23-year-old Zhejiang native started in lane four, took the lead early on and maintained his pace throughout. Xu touched the wall first with a time of one minute, 49.8 seconds, beating his own national record by 1.53 seconds.

Australia's Mitchel Larkin came second and his compatriot Bradley Woodward got the bronze.

Xu Jiayu receives gold medal after winning the men's 200m backstroke in the FINA Swimming World Cup, National Aquatics Center, Beijing, China, November 2, 2018. /VCG Photo

In the men's 400m freestyle final, China's Ji Xinjie took the lead after 100 meters and did not look back. The 21-year-old won the event in three minutes 40.82 seconds, with Mykhailo Romanchuk of Ukraine clinching the silver in a time three seconds slower. The Bronze went to America's Blake Pieroni.

Li Zhuhao of China came from 4th place after the first half to win the men's 100m butterfly in 50.74 seconds. Yauhen Tsurkin from Belarus got the silver and Japan's Keita Sunama took the bronze.

On the women's side, 400m freestyle world record holder Wang Jianjiahe from China was absent in the Beijing event, but her teammate Li Bingjie cruised to victory in 3:59.20, five seconds slower than Wang record she set in Budapest. Dutch Femke Heemskerk earned the silver and China's Liu Yaxin took the bronze.