Li, who broke the world junior record in the 200m butterfly at the Chinese National Swimming Championships earlier this month in 1 min 55.92sec, continued his winning form in the 50m butterfly with a time of 23.39, beating the previous world junior record of 23.61.

Fellow countryman Xu Jiayu and reigning 100m freestyle world champion Ning Zetao, also of China, came second and third respectively.

“It is my third meet within two months after the World Championships in Kazan and our National Championships three weeks ago,” said Li.

“I did not expect to win this gold medal and to break the record.”

Ning was happy with his third-place finish: "After the Kazan World Championships, I was sick for a couple of weeks and not in good shape.

“I had competed in the National Championships early this month.

“I just tried to get the race pace to prepare for the Military World Games next month in South Korea.

“A bronze today is good enough for me.”

Shen Duo, a six-time gold medallist at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games, also struck gold for China, snatching the women's 200m freestyle title in 1:56.47.

Compatriot Fu Yuanhui beat Emily Seebohm of Australia to take top honours in the women's 50m backstroke with a time of 27.55, while Mao Feilian edged South Africa’s Cameron Ban Der Burgh in the men's 200m breaststroke, clocking 2:10.95.

Also topping the podium for China was 16-year-old Wang Guoyue, claiming the women's 800m freestyle title in 8:37.38.

Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu triumphed in the women’s 200m individual medley in 2:10.44, and also added silvers in 200m freestyle, 800m freestyle and 200m backstroke, while Australian sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell again claimed a one-two finish in the women's 50m freestyle with respective times of 24.30 and 24.53, finishing ahead of China’s Zhu Menghui in third.

A further three gold medals came Australia’s way with Seebohm dominating the women's 200m backstroke in 2:09.22, Dan Smith winning the men's 400m freestyle in 3:51.45, and Ash Delaney taking the men's 100m backstroke in 54.36.

In other events, Masato Saki of Japan snatched gold in men's 200m butterfly in 1:57.44, while compatriot Katsumi Nakamura was the fastest in men's 100m freestyle with a time of 48.60.

Hungary’s David Verraszto took men's 400m individual medley gold, and there were also wins for Denmark’s Jeanette Ottensen in the women’s 100m butterfly, Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson in the women’s 100m backstroke, and Van Der Burgh in the men's 50m breaststroke.



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