(Sports Focus) Yearender: Chinese swimming power strengthened

China strengthened its swimming power in the year of 2015, keeping an ambitious eye on the Rio Olympics 2016.

The historic breakthrough was made in the men's pool, which had been behind the women's for many years.

The 22-year-old Ning Zetao stunned the world at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, in August when he triumphed in the blue-ribbon men's 100-meter freestyle final in 47.84 seconds

Ning, the first Asian swimmer to have broken the 48-second barrier in the 100m, ended the Western domination and became the first Chinese and Asian swimmer to enter the event's final and win at world championships.

The Chinese navy lieutenant had shown his talent at the Asian Games last year in Incheon, South Korea, where he collected the 50m and 100m freesytle, 4x100m freestyle relay as well as the 4x100m mixed relay titles. He also holds the Asian record of 100m of 47.65 seconds.

Ning has been one of the most famous athletes in China. Along with Sun Yang, Ning is expected to win a medal at the Rio Olympics 2016.

Sun, the London Olympic champion, is still the biggest medal hope for Chinese swimming at the Rio Games. He went through a hard time after his doping ban was revealed last year.

He had tested positive for the banned stimulant trimetazidine during the national championships last May and was banned for three months from May 16 to Aug. 17.

Sun has been barred from training in Australia and his Australian coach Cotterell wasn't allowed to coach Sun as a result of the new policy to be implemented by Swimming Australia.

The 23-year-old swimmer overcame those difficulties to win the 400m and 800m free titles at the Kazan worlds. He withdrew from his signature 1,500m free due to heart discomfort.

Sun kept his form after the worlds, winning three titles at the National Championships in September, his last competition in the year.

The Chinese women's swimming dimmed a little as butterfly queens Jiao Liuyang and Liu Zige were both out of form. It has been hard to see London Olympic champion Jiao in the pool as she only took part in the National Championships in April this year and made poor results.

Beijing Olympic champion Liu has been struggling for form after winning the 2013 Barcelona worlds, but she seemed to be back in pace at the Swimming World Cup in Beijing in September where she took a second place in the 200m fly.

Both Jiao and Liu failed to qualify for the Kazan worlds, but youngster Zhang Yufei took a bronze. Zhang is trained under Jiao's coach Liu Haitao and has been considered as a future butterfly queen. Veteran Lu Ying also kept good form and took two bronze in the 50m and 100m fly at the worlds.

According to former Chinese swimming head coach Chen Yunpeng, China may win less gold medals in Rio than it did in London, but there will be some breakthough as there are more young talents bringing more hopes.

Promising swimmers Wang Shun, Xu Jiayu, Liu Xiang and Shi Jinglin all renewed their personal best at the Kazan worlds.

More youngsters showed their strength at the National Youth Games in October.

Chen Xinyi and Li Zhuhao each won three individual golds at the youth games. The 16-year-old Li is expected to compete with American super star Michael Phelps in the men's 100m butterfly at the Rio Games, while Chen focuses on the women's 100m fly.

All seemed optimistic except a mournful tragedy.

A 17-year-old girl Qing Wenyi, winner of the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the National Youth Games, died in her dormitory on Nov. 10.

The Beijing native didn't find any abnormality in a routine physical examination conducted on Oct. 28 and resumed training on Nov. 2 in Beijing.

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