SINGAPORE (AFP) — China’s Qin Haiyang set his sights on glory at Los Angeles 2028 after reeling in Olympic champion Nicolo Martinenghi to reclaim his 100-meter breaststroke world title on Monday.

Qin recovered from a slow start to come home in 58.23 seconds, beating Italy’s Martinenghi (58.58 seconds) and Kyrgyzstan’s Denis Petrashov (58.88 seconds) in the 2025 Singapore World Aquatics Championships.

Qin swept all three breaststroke races at the 2023 World Championships in Japan, breaking the 200m world record.

But he crashed and burned at last year’s Paris Olympics, finishing seventh after leading the 100m breaststroke final at the turn.

The 26-year-old had no such problems in Singapore as he delivered China’s first swimming gold of the championships.

“I have a lot of anticipation for LA 2028,” Qin said. “I’m just getting myself into the frame of mind early.”

“There are still a lot of uncertainties ahead, and I have to be prepared for anything that may come.”

Qin said he was still not back to his best, but called the victory a big confidence boost following injury.

“There are still a few years ahead before the next Olympics, and I want to still be able to achieve my dreams,” he added.

Qin went into the race in ominous form, having swum the two fastest times of the year and topped the semi-finals ahead of Martinenghi.

Martinenghi was initially disqualified in the semi-finals but was reinstated for the final.

The Italian said he had been sick through the night and was “really proud” of his performance.

“That silver is like a gold for me,” he said.

“I’ve got nothing inside me, I’ve got only my heart and my brain.”

The race did not feature Paris Olympic joint silver medalists Adam Peaty and Nic Fink.

Great Britain’s Peaty, who owned the 14 fastest times in the history of the 100m breaststroke heading into Singapore, decided to skip the World Championships.

American Fink is also taking a break from competition.

Qin said his win was the result of hard work in training.

“To win this gold medal is not something that’s easily said and done for me,” he said.

Qin’s preparations for the Paris Olympics were thrown into turmoil when he was implicated in a major doping scandal months before the Games.

A report named Qin among 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for a prescription heart drug ahead of the pandemic-delayed 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

They were not sanctioned after the World Anti-Doping Agency accepted the argument of Chinese authorities that the positive tests were caused by contaminated food.