World Champs Profile: Li Bingjie Brings Distance Talent to the Pool
Leading into the start of the World Championships later this month, Swimming World will publish a handful of short profiles on top contenders for the podium in Singapore. Our next entry in this series features China’s Li Bingjie, a longtime factor on the global distance scene.
Li Bingjie
China
Events: 400 Freestyle/800 Freestyle/1500 Freestyle
The Road to Singapore
At the Chinese Nationals in May, Li put together a superb week of distance freestyling, establishing herself as a triple-event medal contender in Singapore. Li won the 400 freestyle in 3:59.99 to become just the sixth athlete to break the four-minute barrier in the event. She also won the 800 free (8:20.64) and the 1500 free (15:43.94).
Top Career Achievement
At the Covid-19-delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Li claimed a pair of medals. In addition to helping China to gold in the 800 freestyle relay, Li was the bronze medalist in the 400 freestyle, where Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky won gold and silver. Li’s bronze medal was made possible by a then-Asian record of 4:01.08, which was more than a second quicker than the 4:02.42 of Summer McIntosh.
Previous World Champs Hardware
Between the 2017 and 2024 World Championships, Li has won 10 medals – six individual and four in relay action. Li has won two solo medals each in the 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle. Both of her medals in the 800 freestyle have been silver, with the 400 free and 1500 free each yielding a silver and a bronze.
Stat Fact
While Li is one of seven women to go sub-4:00 in the 400 freestyle, she is one of only six women to go sub-8:14 in the 800 freestyle. Li owns the Asian record in the 800 free at 8:13.31, a time she delivered at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka.
World Champs Profiles