Qin Haiyang Clinches Second Gold in Singapore with Stunning Lane-Eight Victory

AFP | Singapore

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China’s Qin Haiyang produced a sensational performance to claim his second gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore yesterday, winning the men’s 200m breaststroke final in dramatic fashion — from the least-favoured lane eight.

Qin, roared on by an ecstatic crowd of Chinese supporters, touched the wall in 2 minutes 07.41 seconds in a nail-biting finish. He edged out Japan’s Ippei Watanabe (2:07.70), who took silver, and the Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau (2:07.73), who claimed bronze.

The 26-year-old had already secured the 100m breaststroke title earlier in the week, but his emotional celebration of this second win — punching the air and basking in the cheers with arms spread wide — showed just how much it meant to him.

“I did not know if I was second or third, I just heard ‘whoo’, so I knew I had won,” said Qin, who called it the “lane eight miracle,” referencing his underdog position as the slowest qualifier from the semi-finals.

This comeback performance marks a major turnaround for Qin, who failed to make the 200m final at the last Olympics and had his Tokyo 2021 preparations disrupted by controversy. He was among 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned heart medication in the lead-up to the Games. However, they were not sanctioned after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted Chinese authorities’ explanation that the positive tests were caused by contaminated food.

Qin’s emphatic return to form reaffirms his place as a dominant force in the pool ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Meanwhile, in the women’s events, Dutch swimmer Marrit Steenbergen retained her 100m freestyle crown, stopping a late surge from Australian star Mollie O’Callaghan. Steenbergen touched in 52.55 seconds, with O’Callaghan close behind at 52.67.

The championships continue today with one of the most anticipated duels — American legend Katie Ledecky facing off against Canada’s teenage sensation Summer McIntosh.