Li Bingjie claims silver in 400m freestyle, wins China's first swimming medal in Singapore

SINGAPORE, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Li Bingjie secured China's first swimming medal at the World Aquatics Championships here on Sunday, winning silver in the women's 400-meter freestyle.

The 23-year-old touched in three minutes 58.21 seconds, finishing behind Canada's Summer McIntosh, who claimed the first swimming gold of the meet in 3:56.26. American legend Katie Ledecky took bronze in 3:58.49.

Li's performance broke the Asian record of 3:59.99, which she set at the Chinese national championships in May.

The result marked a strong comeback for Li, who had failed to reach the finals in both the 400m and 800m freestyle at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I finally found myself again after the setbacks in Paris," Li said. "Now I feel confident that I can achieve even better results."

Sunday marked the first time Li has defeated Katie Ledecky in a major international competition - a milestone she said has boosted her confidence.

"I was really surprised - I didn't expect to beat her (Ledecky)," Li said. "Even though she may not be in peak form right now, this victory means a lot to me - it's truly significant."

Li has long admired the 28-year-old American as both a role model and a rival.

"She's someone I've always wanted to surpass," Li said. "She's always been a great athlete in my eyes, and I've learned a lot from her over the years. Beating Ledecky is something that's been on my mind for so many years." ■