Fukuoka, Japan, July 24, 2023: China’s Zhang Yufei won the women's 100m butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan, on Monday.
Zhang, who is best remembered for winning two gold medals in the same morning session at the Tokyo Olympics, held off the reigning world and Olympic champions, Torii Huske and Margaret MacNeil, respectively, to take gold in 56.12 seconds.
"This is my first gold medal at the world championships," Zhang said. "This is my happy time. I just feel wonderful and amazing."
Zhang led at the turn but was then overtaken by half a body length by MacNeil. The 25-year-old Chinese swimmer turned on the after-burners in the closing 20 metres and touched the wall in 56.12 seconds – 00.33 seconds ahead of the Canadian.
Torri Huske of the United States won the bronze in 56.61, 00.49 seconds behind Zhang.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Zhang won two gold medals in the same morning session, in the women’s 200m butterfly in an Olympic record time of 2:03.86 and in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
China had earlier won their first gold medal in swimming through Qin Haiyang in the men’s 100m breaststroke.
The 24-year-old Chinese clocked an Asian record 57.69 seconds, having also set a new Asian mark in the heat and semifinal.
Three swimmers tied for second place on 58.72 and all received a silver medal. They were Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands and Nic Fink (USA).
In the last race of the second night, China’s 17-year-old Yu Yiting won bronze in the women’s 200m individual medley.
The United States pair of Kate Douglass (2:07.17) and Alex Walsh (2:07.97) won gold and silver, respectively, and Yu finished third in 2:08.74, 01.57 behind the winner
