Qin Haiyang sets pace in men's 50m breaststroke semifinal

China's Qin Haiyang stormed into the men's 50m breaststroke final at the World Aquatics Championships on Tuesday night, clocking 26.52 seconds to lead the pool in the semifinals.

Qin Haiyang of China competes during the men's 50m breaststroke semifinal of swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, July 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Qin, who famously swept all three breaststroke titles at the 2023 Fukuoka World Championships, returned to the global stage in style after skipping the 2024 edition in Doha. He previously won the 100m breaststroke gold medal on Monday.

Italy's Simone Cerasuolo followed closely, finishing in 26.64 seconds, just 0.12s behind, while neutral athlete Ivan Kozhakin took third in 26.66 seconds.