SHENZHEN, China, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Tang Qianting set another new Asian record in the women's 50m breaststroke during the preliminary round of the 2026 China Open Swimming Championships and National Spring Swimming Championships here on Thursday.

Tang Qianting of China poses after the awarding ceremony for the women's 100m breaststroke final of swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, July 29, 2025. (File photo: Xinhua)

The new time of 29.49 seconds surpassed her own previous Asian record of 29.51 seconds set at the 2024 World Swimming Championships in Doha.

Tang, who earned a silver medal in the women's 100m breaststroke at the 2024 Paris Olympics, said she was delighted with her performance.

"I wasn't really prepared for this," she said. "I originally planned to achieve this time later in the year, but I didn't expect it now. Maybe it's because I've been more relaxed in the past two years, not putting too much pressure or burden on myself."