In a heart-pounding race that can put the audience on the edge of their seat, China’s men’s relay team secured another thrilling victory, and this time through a 4x200m freestyle relay event. The“F4” boys, Ji Xinjie, Wang Haoyu, Pan Zhanle, and Zhang Zhanshuo, combined their speed to deliver another brilliance swim, clinching back-to-back gold medals for freestyle events and punching their ticket to the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
The race to victory was fraught with challenges and intense competition. The United States surged ahead early with Luke Hobson setting the pace with a swift 1:45.26 split. Carson Foster then delivered a jaw-dropping performance, bulldozing the competition with a monstrous 1:43.94 split, the fastest of his career. This put the Americans in the lead by nearly three seconds at the halfway mark.
Meanwhile, Team China who led by Ji Xinjie and Wang Haoyu, trailed closely behind the Americans, but, they steadily gaining ground thanks to Pan Zhanle’s explosive 1:43.90 split on the third leg. With Hunter Armstrong also contributing an impressive split of 1:45.73 for the US team, it seemed like it would be a showdown between the anchors, the debutant Zhang and the US’s David Johnston in the final stretch.
However, just when it seemed like the race was set, Hwang of South Korea launched an astonishing comeback, delivering the fastest split of the field at 1:43.76, bringing his team tantalizingly close to victory. Hwang heroic anchor leg for South Korea added another layer of excitement to the race, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish.
As the final meters unfolded, Zhang powered through the water with determination, his every stroke bringing him closer to victory. With the clock ticking, he maintained his composure, touching the wall in 7:01.84 and securing gold for China by the narrowest of margins.
“I was feeling lots of pressure because I was responsible for the last leg and I didn’t want to let my teammates down,” Zhang said. “I’m super grateful for my team members because they were able to make the whole race a lot easier. This was a group work, not an individual work. I wouldn’t be able to make it without the help of my teammates. I trained every day and learned to meditate to release the pressure. And most importantly, I learned to be humble and always look for a better result.”