Ningbo swimmer Yu Yiting wins Pan Pacific gold

Chinese swimmer Yu Yiting from Ningbo won the women's 200-meter individual medley at the 2026 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, on Aug 16, setting a new meet record with a time of 2:07.45.

Yu edged Canada's Summer McIntosh, who finished second in 2:07.47. The victory came a day after Yu placed fifth in the women's 100m butterfly.

Held in Irvine, near Los Angeles, the Pan Pacific Championships are an important test for swimmers preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The event provides athletes with an opportunity to adapt to the climate, facilities, and competitive environment they will encounter during the Games.

The championships also feature events newly added to the Los Angeles Olympic swimming program, including the men's and women's 50m backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. The strong field, featuring leading swimmers from the United States, Canada, and Australia, gives China's team a valuable opportunity to assess its performance against top international rivals.

Yu's record-setting performance adds another strong result to her Olympic-cycle campaign as China's swimmers continue to prepare for Los Angeles 2028.