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Tokyo Olympics: China’s ‘Butterfly Queen’ Zhang Yufei surprised to be handed freestyle role in world record-breaking relay
- The 23-year-old, who finished sixth in Rio 2016, says she has gone from being a ‘newborn’ to ‘shouldering responsibility’
- ‘I didn’t even know how to swim the 200m [freestyle relay],’ says Zhang after surprise gold medal performance
Zhang Yufei of China celebrates after her win in the women’s 200m butterfly final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Photo: Xinhua
Zhang Yufei won China’s first two swimming gold medals within an hour after setting an Olympic record in the 200m butterfly, then leading the 4x200m freestyle relay team to a shock world record at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Thursday.
The 23-year-old Xuzhou native, known as the “Butterfly Queen” ever since dominating the 2018 Asian Games with three golds and a silver, had missed out at the Rio Games five years ago when she finished a disappointing sixth.
“In 2015, I was a newborn and didn’t know anything. At Rio 2016, I wanted to come in the top three but I didn’t expect it to be so tough,” she said. “Many netizens said I might be the next ‘Butterfly Queen’, but the expectations were not met. Over the past year I thought it was time to shoulder that responsibility.”
Zhang was both teary-eyed and brimming with pride after her Olympic record-breaking time of 2:03.86. After collecting her medal on the podium before her rapturous teammates in the stands, she proceeded to wave and cover her American counterparts Regan Smith and Hali Flickinger in the Chinese flag.
Zhang Yufei in full flow in the women’s 200m butterfly final in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Photo: Kyodo
“Before the 200m butterfly I really wanted this medal but I felt nervous about it,” she said. “My coach told me before the race that I didn’t need to think too much … ‘just be yourself and you will be champion, and the result may even exceed expectations and even the record’,” she said. “Of course, hearing that I thought he was just joking.”
An hour later, Zhang joined Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan and Li Bingjie in the 4x200m freestyle relay, clocking a world record 7:40.33 to beat favourites USA and Australia, who came second and third, respectively.
China’s Li Bingjie (bottom) is congratulated by teammates Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan and Zhang Yufei after they set a new world record in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay. Photo: AFP
Remarkably, Zhang did not know she was going to compete in the relay until her coach told her after she won the 200m butterfly.
“I didn’t know I was doing it until I’d finished the 200 butterfly and our coach told me, ‘you’re in the relay’,” said Zhang, who missed out on a gold in the 100m butterfly earlier in the week when Canada’s Maggie MacNeil pipped her at the finish .
“I didn’t even know how to swim the 200 free, although I have the training qualities and levels for the 200m distances. I went very fast at the Chinese National Championships, so maybe that’s why the coaches asked me to join the relay.”
Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan, Zhang Yufei and Li Bingjie after the medal ceremony of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Photo: Xinhua
Teammate Li later said that the other three members were aware of the plans to include Zhang but “the coach told us not to tell her – she was the last to know”. She added that the whole team were not expecting to win gold against the Australians and Americans and were “all in tears” having done so.
The world 200m butterfly record was set by fellow Chinese swimmer and Beijing 2008 gold medallist Liu Zige, who swam 2:01.81 in 2009.
The previous 4x200m freestyle relay world record was set by Australia when they clocked 7:41.50 at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
Additional reporting by Reuters