At the Miami Swimming Club's Miami Super Challenge today, Sun Yang, the Chinese world record holder who trains with Denis Cotterell on the Gold Coast when Down Under, clocked times of 49.50, 1:46.84 and 3:42.89 over 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle, the latter the 4th best of his career after efforts of 3:40.29 and 3:41.48 last year and 3:42.47 in 2010.

If that was impressive, consider the 3:45.49 400m free effort of Hao Yun, who rocketed into the significant world long-course rankings for the first time with a time that compares to a best for Sun at the same age of 3:50.16; Hao also clocked 54.11 in the 100 'fly, compared to a 52.98 best by Michael Phelps at the same age.

Sun, the world 1500m free champion and record holder, kept at bay a host of domestic rivals in the longer distances and Australian 17-year-old up-an-comer Cameron McEvoy, a winner on 23.01 in the 50m free and second to Sun on 50.44 in the 100m.

In the 200m, Sun was followed home by the next wave of progress among Chinese men, 16-year-old Hao Yun on 1:48.74 and making a maiden entry in the world rankings, Feng Zhimin, 22, on 1:49.18, Zhang Zhongchao, 22, 1:49.48, and Pu Wenjie, 18, on 1:50.02, also making his world rankings debut.

The picture was no less revealing over 400m: after Sun came Li Yunqi, 18, on 3:45.49, after best times of 3:47.53 last year and 3:51.80 in 2010; 16-year-old Hao, seeded on a 3:58.16 and now boasting a 3:45.69 lifetime best that rocketed him from the ranks of the unknown to 4th best ever in China behind Sun, Zhang Lin and Li; and  Dai Jun, 19, on 3:50.79, compared with a best from Shanghai world titles last year of 3:47.58.

Hao made his breakthrough last year at the FINA World Cup at home in Beijing. With a best best long-course 1500m free of 15:18.75 last autumn, he emerged from the 1500m s/c race the victor in an stunning 14:40.15. If the time caught the eye, so too did the way he swam his race: he trailed China teammate Dai by a fraction throughout the race and with 150m burst into the lead before ending with a 26.21 split for his last 50m (his first 50m was 26.77), Dai on 14:42.97 for second in a best time by almost 11sec.

In other action at Miami in Australia today, Sun Xiaolei, 26, took the 100m backstroke in 56.21; the 200m breaststroke wen to Chen Cheng, 19, on 2:14.53 ahead of 

Nikolas Pregelj, of Southport, on 2:15.85; Chen Yin, 25, claimed the 100m 'fly on 53.08 ahead of 16-year-old Hao, on 54.11 (Michael Phelps had a best time of 52.98 at the same age…); Wang Shun, 17, clocked 2:01.29 in the 200m medley (Phelps had a best time of 2:00.86 at the same age) ahead of Thomas Fraser-Holmes, 20, on 2:02.22; and Wang also took the 400IM ahead of the same opponent, 4:17.92 to 4:22.20.

In other action among men, Australian 17-year-old Hugo Morris stepped up for a 15:34.72 best win in the 1500m free, pressed by 15-year-old Mack Horton, on 15:39.21.

Among women, Shao Yiwen, 16 and the fastest ever in a textile suit among Chinese women over 400m free, cracked out a 4:06.98 to keep Miami's 19-year-old Katie Goldman at bay on 4:07.52 for the highlight of the programme. There were also butterfly victories of 59.48 and 2:09.13 over 100m and 200m respectively for world four-lap champion Jiao Liuyang, 20. 

The 50m dash freestyle skins event was won by Zhu Qianwei, 21, on 26.00, China team stalwart Pang Jiaying, 27, clocked 56.08 to take the 100m free; Tang Yi, 19, snatched victory in the 200m in 1:57.75 over 1:58.08 for Jade Neilsen, of Miami, and Zhu Qianwei, 21, on 2:00.21; and behind Shao and Goldman in the 400m came 'flyer Jiao, third in 4:10.77, Ha Sinan, 20, fourth in 4:10.89 (also second in the 100m 'fly on 1:00.61 and 200m, on 2:09.21), followed by Zhou Lili, 17, 4:11.87, Zhu Qianwei, 21, 4:12.86 and Zhou Yilin, 19, 4:15.78.

Behind Jiao and Ha in the 200m butterfly came Li Tingting, 16, on 2:09.58, not far from a best of 2:08.75; in the 100m backstroke Zhao Jing, 21, clocked 1:01.75 for the win; Ji Liping, 23, clocked 2:30.42 (her best of 2:23.83 was set in 2009) to win the 200m breaststroke a touch ahead of 14-year-old Karlene Pircher, on 2:31.27; Li Jiaxing, 20, clocked 2:15.29 to win the 200m medley ahead of Amy Levings, Miami, on 2:17.42, Levings winning the 400IM ahead of Goldman 4:47.22 to 4:49.97. Corrie Scott, 18, was among the few non-Chinese to touch a wall first, on 1:11.10 in the 100m breaststroke.