Every time a sport event is held, every athlete isn’t only competing for gold medals, but also to break a new record here and there. As Asian Games 2018 rolled to its third day, 21-year-old China swimmer Liu Xiang set a new world record for women’s 50-meter backstroke at the Aquatic Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta.
Liu finished first with 26.98 seconds on her record. A chilling 0.08 seconds faster from the previous world record made by her compatriot, Zhao Jing, at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. This is also the first time a world record in swimming is registered at Asian Games since 2002.
“I didn't expect to break the world record at all,” she said as cited in the official Asian Games 2018 website. “My main focus is actually the 50m freestyle so I didn’t have any pressure and I just relaxed.”
She remarked that the gold medal and world record will certainly boost her confidence when competing in the freestyle number. When asked about the Olympics that doesn’t have 50m backstroke in its program, she remarked that her world record is still an achievement in the swimming world.
The silver medal went to another China swimmer, Fu Yuanhui, who finished the race at 27.68 seconds, while bronze was won by Japan’s Natsumi Sakai at 27.91 seconds.
Liu’s record certainly proven a strong performance from the Chinese swimming team as they already bagged in 20 medals, seven of it are gold medals.
As of August 21, 2018, China is leading the tally with a grand total 30 gold medals, 18 silvers, and 12 bronzes, follows by Japan and Korea on the second and third place. Indonesia as the host country is sitting on the fourth place with five golds. Asian Games 2018 will continue until September 2, 2018.
Source: The Jakarta Post (Yashinta Difa Pramudyani), Associated Press, asiangames2018.id