Qin Haiyang of Team China competes in the Men's 50m Breaststroke Final of the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships at World Aquatics Championships Arena on July 30, 2025 in Singapore. Phot: VCG

Day 4 of the swimming competition at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore saw China's Li Bingjie claim silver in the women's 200m freestyle, Qin Haiyang take bronze in the men's 50m breaststroke, and the mixed 4x100m medley relay team capture another silver medal.

Just days after stunning the world by beating Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle, Li once again made her mark in the pool. In the 200m freestyle final, the 22-year-old swimmer staged a powerful comeback to finish second with a time of 1:54.52.

"I'm fairly satisfied with this result," Li said ­after the race. "Breaking the 1:55 barrier was something I'd been aiming for. It's important not only for the first half of my 400m strategy, but also for team relays going forward."

Meanwhile, Qin Haiyang added another medal to China's tally, finishing third in the men's 50m breaststroke with a time of 26.67 seconds. Qin had set the fastest time in the semifinals. Speaking after the semis, he said he was relaxed going into the finals, having already met his personal goal of winning at least one gold medal at this championship.

The night's most anticipated event was the mixed 4x100m medley relay, a field that has seen major improvements across nations and strokes. China clinched silver with a time of 3:39.99. The result was seen as hard-earned amid rapidly evolving techniques in swimming.

Earlier in the day, veteran swimmer Xu Jiayu was emotional following the relay heats. 

"This is even tougher than when I was at my lowest," Xu said through tears. "The sport is evolving. If I don't change, I'll only get slower with age. Even though Chinese swimming is strong, I often feel like I'm the only one still holding on in backstroke, and I'm afraid I'll slow the team down."

Beijing-based sports commentator Wang Dazhao told the Global Times that the mixed medley team underwent several lineup changes between the heats and finals, reflecting a broader transitional phase for Chinese swimming, with veterans guiding the next generation.

"It's quite clear that the men's backstroke leg is facing a talent gap after Xu," Wang said. 

"With Xu aging and global improvements in backstroke over the past year, the mixed medley relay is exposing some serious weaknesses - not just in backstroke but across the relay as a whole."

The evening also saw one of the biggest surprises of the meet: Pan Zhanle, one of China's most high-profile swimmers, failed to qualify for the finals in his signature event, the men's 100m freestyle. Pan, who shot to global fame after his breakout performance at the Paris Olympic Games, has been under close media scrutiny due to his inconsistent form.

"My condition wasn't great today," Pan admitted after the semifinals. 

"I'll do my best in the upcoming relay events."

Meanwhile, 12-year-old prodigy Yu Zidi continued to captivate audiences. In the women's 200m butterfly semifinal, she clocked 2:07.95, finishing eighth in her heat and narrowly qualifying for the finals. Her stunning performances throughout the meet have led many fans to hail her as a "heaven-sent star" for Chinese swimming.

Her talent hasn't gone unnoticed among international elites. Romanian freestyle star David Popovici told the Xinhua News Agency that he had been following Yu's races and was deeply impressed.

"She's incredibly fast. When I was 12, I held my national record in the 200m individual medley, but I was still seven seconds slower than she is now," he said. 

"I just hope she doesn't feel too much pressure. The road ahead is never easy, and I wish her all the best."

"Many athletes are still rebooting," Wang said. 

"We're seeing promising young names like Yu emerge, but the next Olympics in Los Angeles is still a long way off."