Qin Haiyang's Lane Eight Miracle: A Surprising Gold at World Championships

China's Qin Haiyang clinched a surprising victory in the men's 200m breaststroke final at the world championships, notably securing gold from lane eight. Despite holding the world record, Qin's past performances have varied significantly. Though he collected titles at the 2023 worlds, his Olympic endeavors fell short, with a seventh-place finish in the 100m and failure to make the 200m final.

In Singapore, Qin's win in the 100m indicated a return to form, yet he nearly missed the 200m final, advancing with the eighth-fastest time. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old defied the odds, capturing gold with 2:07.41, surpassing Japan's Ippei Watanabe and Dutchman Caspar Corbeau in a thrilling contest.

Reflecting on his success, a jubilant Qin praised the 'lane eight miracle' and expressed satisfaction with his performance, emphasizing continual self-improvement over medals. Despite acknowledging his performance wasn't at peak, he celebrated his personal best of the year, adding bronze in the 50m and emphasizing the importance of learning from each competition.

(With inputs from agencies.)