Liu Xiang (swimmer)

Liu Xiang (Chinese: 刘湘; pinyin: Liú Xiāng, born 1 September 1996) is a Chinese competitive swimmer.

Liu Xiang

Liu in Kazan 2015
Personal information
Full name	刘湘 (2003－) 刘嘉欣 (1996－2003, birthname)
National team	China
Born	(1996-09-01) September 1, 1996 (age 28)[1][2] Guangzhou, Guangdong[3]
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) [4][5]
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, Freestyle
College team	South China Normal University
Medal record Women's swimming Representing China World Championships (LC) 2015 Kazan 50 m backstroke Asian Games 2018 Jakarta-Palembang 50 m backstroke 2018 Jakarta-Palembang 50 m freestyle

In this Chinese name, the family name is Liu.

Early life

Born Liu Jiaxin in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, she is the only daughter to her parents. Both of her parents were basketball players, but she chose swimming.^[6][7]

Liu is an alumnus of South China Normal University.

Swimming

Liu Xiang (in pink) and teammate Fu Yuanhui celebrating at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan.

At the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, Liu won the bronze medal in the 50-meter backstroke behind teammate Fu Yuanhui at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia.^[8][9] She also competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

In the 2018 Asian Games Liu broke the 27-second barrier in the women's 50m backstroke as she set a world record and took the gold medal. ^[10]

Personal bests

As of July 30, 2021^[11]

Long course (50-meter pool)

Event	Time	Meet	Date	Note(s)
50m freestyle	23.97	2021 Chinese National Games	26 September 2021	NR AS
100m freestyle	55.27	2018 Spring National Championships	19 January 2018
50m backstroke	26.98[12]	2018 Asian Games	21 August 2018	NR AS WR
100m backstroke	1:00.46	2016 Chinese National Championships	3 April 2016
50m butterfly	26.25	2019 World Cup	9 August 2019
100m butterfly	1:00.05	2020 Chinese National Championships	30 September 2020

Short course (25-meter pool)

Event	Time	Meet	Date	Note(s)
50m freestyle	24.35	2017 World Cup	10 November 2017
50m backstroke	26.49	2018 World Cup	2 November 2018
100m backstroke	1:01.02	2014 World Cup	25 October 2014
50m butterfly	27.75	2016 World Cup	1 October 2016

Key: NR = National Record, AS = Asian Record, WR = World Record

References

1. "Start List Women's 50 Meter Backstroke Final". Omega Timing. Retrieved 2015-08-22.
2. "华师"游泳女神"出征里约奥运会 美照来袭". 南方网. 2016-07-21. Archived from the original on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
3. "Chinese national swimming championships results". English.news.cn. September 10, 2015. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20160825005623/
5. "LIU Xiang - Olympic Swimming | China". Archived from the original on 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
6. 专访刘湘：原本不叫此名 听女神说她眼中的宁泽涛 Retrieved 17 December 2016
7. 刘湘：险些误入篮球之路的泳坛女神 Retrieved 17 December 2016
8. "W50 Back: Fu Yuanhui Sets World Textile Best 27.11 To Pip Medeiros & Teammate Liu". SwimVortex. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
9. 中国泳坛第一美女为坚持训练脸颊晒到红肿脱皮 Retrieved 17 December 2016
10. "Liu breaks nine-year world record to win 50m backstroke". China Daily/Sports/Swimming. 2018-08-21. Retrieved 27 Aug 2018.
11. "FINA personal best results".
12. "18th Asian Games, Women's 50m backstroke". Archived from the original on 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-08-21.

Records
Preceded by Zhao Jing	World record holder Women's 50 m backstroke (long course) 21 August 2018 – 20 October 2023	Succeeded by Kaylee McKeown