On a day at when 2008 Olympic 800m champion Rebecca Adlington said that she would not race on as far as Rio 2016 (by which time the 800m might be replaced by the 1500m), citing distance swimming as a young person's game in the wakes of a stunning 8:14 victory by American Katie Ledecky at London 2012, China has a 13-year-old already well inside the 2012 champion's pace at the same age.

At China nationals in Huangshan, Anhui Province, Xu Danlu, of Ningxia, entered the 800m with a best of 8:37.65 and emerged champion in 8:27.43, knocking out Chinese Olympic teamster Shao Yiwen, of Zhejiang and on 8:29.67 for silver. the bronze went to Liu Yiru, China Navy, 8:29.71.

Another teen to prosper was 18-year-old Huang Chaosheng, of Hunan: he clocked 4:12.25, a best by 0.28sec to win the 400m medley ahead of Hunan teammate Yang Zhixian, on 4:14.19, and Wang Chengxiang, of Shandong, on 4:16.59.

Olympic medallist Tang Yi, of Shanghai, clocked 54.37sec to with the women's 100m freestyle ahead of Shen Duo, Jiangsu, 54.89, and Cao Yue, Shanxi, 55.42.

Lv Zhiwu, of Zhejiang, took the men's freestyle dash in 22.82, the silver going to Shi Yang, Shanghai, 22.92, and Zhang Qibin, Shandong, in 22.96.

The women's 50m butterfly went to Lu Ying, of Shanghai, in 26.39, ahead of Lin Shuyuan, Zhejiang, 26.96 and Guo Pan, Heilongjiang, 27.07. 

The men's 4x200m freestyle relay went to Shanghai in 7:22.42, that forcing Sun Yang, of Zhejiang, to accept silver, his quartet on 7:25.31 ahead of Tianjin, on 7:26.18.