“It feels like we’re back in the run-up to the Paris Olympics,” remarked a staff member from the Chinese national swimming team, seeing the bustling, crowded pool lanes.

In preparation for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, scheduled to be held in Singapore starting July 11, the Chinese national swimming team has recently begun pre-competition training at the General Administration of Sport's training center.

Although the official roster for the World Championships has yet to be announced, it’s clear that this time the team will focus on nurturing young talent, with an overall approach of pairing experienced athletes with newcomers. Head coach Cui Dengrong explained, “Young coaches and athletes are gaining experience for the new Olympic cycle. This is the first major international competition after the Paris Olympics. It’s not a warm-up for the Olympics, but rather a return to the essence of the World Championships. Six world records have already been broken this year, showing a significant rise in international standards. By combining experience and youth, we hope to achieve good results.”

Veteran swimmer Wang Shun, who is set to compete in his eighth World Championships, reflected, “Time flies. It’s been 14 years since my first World Championships in 2011. I hope to stay focused on the competition. While I’ve learned to take wins and losses in stride, my desire to excel remains strong.”

Zhang Yufei is entering this competition with a relaxed mindset. “This is the first time I’ve felt so light and easygoing ahead of a World Championships. I just want to improve my performance and abilities. I’ve set target times for myself—if I can reach those goals, then the last two months of training will have been worthwhile, bringing me closer to my peak.”

Tang Qianting shared, “Since the end of the National Championships, I’ve focused on speed training, after a winter training cycle that emphasized the 200m. Now, my focus is shifting to the 50m and 100m. My goal at this World Championships is definitely to defend my title, and I’ll give it my all. At the same time, I want to keep improving, step by step, toward the next target.”

Li Bingjie noted, “I just came down from high-altitude training, and my aerobic capacity has improved. I hope to see breakthroughs in my performance at the World Championships. I’ll be focusing on the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle. I also want to race against top-level swimmers to see where I stand and find areas to improve.”

Veteran Xu Jiayu commented, “I hope to deliver stronger performances. My focus is on the long-term cycle, so I’m taking a calm approach to this World Championships. Compared to before, I feel more open and able to enjoy the competition. I’ll mainly compete in the 50m and 100m backstroke. For the 100m, I aim to perform well in every race, and I also hope to make breakthroughs in the 50m.”

Young swimmer Yu Jingming, who will compete in the men’s 200m backstroke and also take part in the World Junior Championships, said, “This is my first World Championships, and I’m really excited. But right now, I need to channel that excitement into training. I’ve been working with Coach Boll for a while now, and we’re cooperating well. Going forward, I’ll focus on improving my back-half performance and refining my technique. Mentally, I need to stay steady and avoid emotional swings. Xu Jiayu’s technique and style are great examples for me. I aim to match the dedication and training standards of my senior teammates.”