Xu Jiayu claims men's 100m back runner-up at FINA World Swimming Championships

China's 100m backstroke world champion Xu Jiayu Wednesday has claimed the runner-up of men's 100m backstroke final on day two at the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2018 in Hangzhou.

"I'm sorry," Xu apologized after the game, "I tried my best. I was too nervous that I almost cried before the final."

Xu had lost to Murphy at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where he was also the runner-up. [Photo: CGTN]

After collecting bronze in the same event in 2016, Xu is the only Chinese swimmer with one or more medals in men's 100m backstroke at world championships (25m).

The world record holder of the event finished in 49.26 seconds, with a 0.03-second deficit to his American counterpart Ryan Murphy who grabbed the gold medal. Russian Kliment Kolesnikov nailed the bronze with 49.40 seconds.

Earlier before the game, Chinese team comprised of Fu Yuanhui, Suo Ran, Wang Yichun and Wu Yue took a silver medal in the women's 4x50m medley final with a score of 1:44.31, breaking their own previous Asian record (1:45.53).

The United States claimed the championship with a new world record of 1:42.38, crushing their best result of 1:43.27, set in 2016. The Netherlands claimed the third with a score of 1:44.57.