Beijing, China, July 8, 2025: China's squad for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore this month features multiple Olympic and world champions, reports Xinhua News.
The 2025 World Aquatics Championships will run from July 11 to August 3, with water polo kicking off proceedings on the tournament's opening day.
Paris 2024 Olympic champion Pan Zhanle leads a 34-member swimming team to compete from July 27 to August 3. The diving competitions open on July 26, with Olympic champions Chen Yuxi, Chen Yiwen, Cao Yuan and Wang Zongyuan among the participants.
Cui Denrong, head coach of China's swimming team, stated that the focus of this year's championships was nurturing young talent. "We are fielding a mix of veterans and newcomers, hoping for strong performances," he said.
He added that, while swimmers such as Qin Haiyang, Zhang Yufei and Peng Xuwei were in good form, they had not yet hit their peak.
Among the swimmers, 31-year-old 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Wang Shun is set for his eighth World Championships. "The competitive fire still burns - I want to stay focused and perform well," Wang said.
Head coach Cui praised the perseverance of the veteran swimmers. "Wang Shun (31), Xu Jiayu (nearly 30) and Zhang Yufei (27) are still training with us, setting a great example in this new cycle," he said.
Pan Zhanle, 20, said he was looking forward to his fourth Worlds. "At the 2024 Doha Worlds, I broke the world record and won gold, so this event holds special memories. I hope to deliver my best in the 100m freestyle final."
Pan claimed four golds in Doha - including a world record in the 4x100m freestyle relay - and shattered the 100m freestyle world record again at the Paris Olympics on his way to winning gold.
In diving, the "Dream Team" will send 14 athletes across 13 events, but two-time Olympic champion Quan Hongchan is absent after withdrawing from May's national trials due to injury.
Chang Yani, who won gold in women's synchronized 3m springboard at Paris 2024, will also miss the event.
The artistic swimming team features 13 athletes competing in 11 events.
Additionally, China's open water team will send six swimmers across seven events, while the women's and men's water polo teams each have 15 athletes competing.