2026 World Aquatics World Cup #1 – Baku
The final event on day two of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup stop in Baku saw 22-year-old Chen Juner score a new Chinese record in the men’s 200m butterfly.
Chen stopped the clock at a speedy result of 1:49.37 for the gold, beating his competitors by nearly two seconds to top the podium.
His time sliced .24 off his former PB and Chinese benchmark of 1:49.61, the World Junior Record he established at the 2022 Chinese Championships.
Tonight, Japan’s So Ogata captured the silver medal in 1:51.24, with Italy’s Alberto Razzetti bagging the bronze in 1:51.53.
| Chen’s New 1:49.37 Chinese Record | Chen’s Old 1:49.61 Chinese Record |
| 23.96 | 24.10 |
| 27.90 | 27.70 |
| 28.68 | 28.49 |
| 28.83 | 29.23 |
It’s important to note that the Asian record and World Record remain at the 1:46.85 Olympic silver medalist Tomoru Honda put up in 2022, so Chen still has his work cut out for him to approach that caliber of performance.
This was a rebound swim of sorts for Chen, who finished outside the medals in the 200m butterfly at the 2026 Asian Games after earning bronze in the event at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
He won the 100m butterfly last night in Baku, hitting a time of 49.70 for a new lifetime best.
Chen is also the Chinese record holder in the LCM 200 butterfly, courtesy of his time of 1:54.02 from last year’s World Championships.
