Sun Yang dominates 200m free at Chinese national swimming

Olympic champion Sun Yang dominated the men's 200m freestyle, while China's rising swimming star Ning Zetao took the silver in the men's 50m butterfly at the Chinese national swimming championships on Wednesday.

Although 1.19 seconds slower than his personal best, Sun met no challenge in domestic pool and grabbed the gold in men's 200m freestyle in one minute 45.66 seconds and he was satisfied with the result.

"Failing in the 200m freestyle in Incheon Asian games is a lesson for me and I will take every event, including domestic ones as opportunities to train myself," said Sun.

Sweeping 4 gold medals in Incheon Asian Games, the 21-year-old Ning did not choose specialty events at the national championships.

Ning finished second in 23.65 seconds in men's 50m butterfly, 0.04 seconds slower than the gold winner Zhang Qibin from Shandong.

Olympic champion Liu Zige, who had not participated in her specialty events as well, failed to enter the final in the women's 200m individual medley and the gold went to Shanghai swimmer Zhang Sishi by clocking 2:14.33.

In other competitions, Asian Games champion Lu Ying from Shanghai topped the women's 50m butterfly in 26.09; Liu Xiang from Guangdong won the women's 50m backstroke in 28.09; Xu Jiaxu from Zhejiang claimed the title at the men's 200m backstroke in 1:56.66; the gold of the women's 4x200m freestyle relay went to Beijing team.

A total of 372 swimmers from all over China are competing in 38 events of the championships, which lasts from October 14-18.