Guangzhou native Liu Xiang is the new queen of the 50-meter backstroke after setting the world record, but her career nearly came to an end after a poor performance in China's 2013 National Games. The 21-year-old decided not to retire early, and it's a good thing as she has been getting better and better.
2015: Liu Xiang breaks the Asian record in women’s 50m freestyle at 2015 Tianjin National Games. / VCG Photo
Liu's first national title came at the 2015 National Swimming Championships, and she achieved a career-high two years later at the Tianjin National Games when she beat the Asian record twice in one day in the 50m freestyle. Last year, Liu was awarded the breakthrough swimmer award from China by the International Swimming Federation.
Liu Xiang, the gold medalist of women’s 50m backstroke with a new world record at Jakarta Asian Games. / VCG Photo
Liu’s success at the event did not come as surprise to many, "I think she should have broken the world record a long time ago, I told her before the competition that she can do it," said Asian Games women’s 50m backstroke silver medalist Fu Yuanhui. For her coach, He Xinzhong, the result is what they are working on.
"Breaking the world record is a difficult thing because it represents the limit of humans, so one may not achieve that even with her best performance. We just wanted to fight for it before the competition," said He.
Liu's time of 26.98 seconds means she broke Zhao Jing's world record from the 2009 World Championships. The last time a swimmer in the Asian Games broke a world record was 16 years ago. Liu's next challenge will be the 50-meter freestyle on Friday where she will face Japan's Rikako Ikee who is the junior world record holder in the event.