China's Qin delivers 'lane eight miracle' to win 200 breaststroke title
Despite being the world record holder in the event, Qin has struggled for consistency. He swept the 50, 100 and 200 titles at the 2023 worlds in Fukuoka but flopped at the Paris Olympics, finishing seventh in the 100 and failing to reach the 200 final.
His victory in the 100 in Singapore suggested he was coming into top form again, but on Thursday he barely squeaked through the 200 semis, posting the eighth-fastest time to be handed the outside lane for the final, where good things rarely happen.
So few were prepared when the 26-year-old came storming home to reach the wall first in 2:07.41, upstaging Japan's Ippei Watanabe and Dutchman Caspar Corbeau in a gripping final that saw the lead change hands multiple times.
"That's so amazing. Have you heard of the 'lane eight miracle'? You saw it tonight. I did think about this happening," an ecstatic Qin said.
"I mentioned yesterday that my form is not at my peak, and I still need to strategize my races more. But I didn't think too much about it today. Making the final is already a good result for me, so I just came and gave it my all.
"I don't think this is enough. For me, what's more important than a gold medal is to be able to have a good result ... Today's result is still the best I've done this year. It's a small improvement, but it's still something I should be proud of."
Qin, who also won bronze in the 50, said he was learning to not be so hard on himself.
"In the past, I would say there's room for improvement, but this time, I can give myself a 100 out of 100. I should rest well after this," he added.
"I've gained from this competition experience. The competition was very stiff here. What I've done best here is take this pressure on well." — Reuters
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