China’s Xu Jiayu Getting Better with Age; Backstroker Continues to Fire in His 30s
It’s been more than a decade since Xu Jiayu claimed his first major international medals at the 2014 edition of the Asian Games. That trip to Incheon, South Korea saw Xu reach the podium in all three backstroke events, the burgeoning Chinese star pushing Japan’s Ryosuke Irie. Now 31, Xu continues to flourish, age clearly not slowing down the veteran as he targets the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Last month, Xu offered the latest proof that he remains as good as ever. Racing at the Chinese National Championships, Xu ripped a short-course world record of 22.03 in the 50-meter backstroke. That performance undercut the 22.09 produced by South Africa’s Pieter Coetze earlier this month during World Cup competition. For Xu, the effort was a massive personal best, as he sliced .67 off his prior top time, which was also the Asian record. At Nationals, Xu also broke his Asian record in the 100 backstroke, going 48.77 and 48.54.
These days, much of the focus around Chinese swimming centers on Yu Zidi, the 14-year-old standout who has emerged as one of the sport’s premier performers in the individual medley events and 200 butterfly. To put Xu’s longevity and elite-level consistency in perspective, Yu was just a toddler when her fellow National Teamer was initially emerging as a global star. Following Xu’s Asian Games breakthrough in 2014, he followed with a silver medal in the 100 backstroke at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and captured back-to-back titles in the event at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships.
Among Xu’s other achievements include backstroke sweeps at the past three Asian Games (2018/2022/2026), and a silver medal in the 100 backstroke at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Overall, Xu owns 41 medals from major international competitions, and his times from the 2026 campaign reveal an athlete who has not experienced a dropoff, and is getting faster in some disciplines.
Prior to setting his short-course world record at Nationals, Xu established an Asian record of 23.92 in the 50 backstroke during June action, and clocked 51.98 in the 100 backstroke during the Asian Games. That time was just off his personal best of 51.86, which was set in 2017. Can Xu maintain his form en route to LA28? Father Time is undefeated, but for now, the Chinese standout is fighting him off.
The current landscape of the 100 backstroke on the way to Los Angeles is commanded by Coetze, the No. 2 performer of all-time at 51.71. Meanwhile, reigning champion Thomas Ceccon of Italy remains a centerpiece of the event, his world record sitting at 51.60. Beyond the 100 backstroke, Xu has his sights set on the 50 backstroke, which will make its Olympic debut when competition unfolds at SoFi Stadium.
“Continuing to swim is my own choice,” Xu said during the Asian Games. “If I can keep swimming, then I will. I want people to see me continuing to fight for this sport, and I hope that will encourage them to enjoy swimming and develop a love for it. Los Angeles has always been my goal.”
