Pooling its younger resources

With international powers pushing full steam ahead into the new Olympic cycle, China's young swimming team refuses to be left behind, aiming to step it up a notch at the Singapore worlds to bolster its LA28 ambitions.

Entering the first year of the race to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the Chinese swimming program has recognized the need for urgency, speeding up its youth movement from the get-go, after watching world records in six events fall to international rivals leading up to the World Aquatics Championships.

The country has taken immediate action by sending its youngest-ever world championship squad — boasting an average age of 21 — to the Singapore meet.

Despite having set its sights on the future, Team China won't stay too humble in the present, though, with 34 swimmers, led by multiple Olympic champions, and new head coach Cui Dengrong, landing in the Southeast Asian country on Wednesday in peak condition to contest 41 individual and relay events.

The eight-day swimming competition at the worlds kicks off on Sunday at the Singapore Sports Hub with a total 42 medal events on the program. The men's 50m freestyle will be the only event without Team China participation.

"It's the first major international competition since the Paris Olympics, and our focus will be ensuring that our younger swimmers get enough tests to enable them to grow quickly," Cui, who was appointed new head coach of the national team in May, said during a recent open training session in Beijing.

"We will push for the best possible outcome, though, by preparing our swimmers as best as we can, based on scientific analysis and from the practical requirements in real competitions."

China's men's roster will be spearheaded by Olympic champion and 100m freestyle world record-holder Pan Zhanle, who has emerged an undisputed leader in the 100m sprint at just 20 years old, after clocking a jaw-dropping 46.40 sec in the Olympic final in Paris to set a new world mark and claim gold.