BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- China's squad for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships was unveiled on Friday, featuring multiple Olympic and world champions.

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships will run from July 11 to August 3 in Singapore, with water polo kicking proceedings off on the tournament's opening day.

2024 Paris Olympic champion Pan Zhanle leads a 34-member swimming squad to compete from July 27 to August 3. The diving competitions open on July 26, with Olympic champions Chen Yuxi, Chen Yiwen, Cao Yuan and Wang Zongyuan among the participants.

Cui Denrong, head coach of China's swimming team, stated that the focus of this year's championships is nurturing young talent. During an open training session on Thursday, he noted that, as the first major international competition since the Olympics, it serves as valuable experience for emerging coaches and athletes. "We are fielding a mix of veterans and newcomers, hoping for strong performances," he said.

He added that while swimmers like Qin Haiyang, Zhang Yufei, and Peng Xuwei are in good form, they have not yet hit their peak.

Among the swimmers, 31-year-old 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Wang Shun is set for his eighth World Championships. "The competitive fire still burns - I want to stay focused and perform well," Wang said.

Cui praised the veterans' perseverance. "Wang Shun (31), Xu Jiayu (nearly 30), and Zhang Yufei (27) are still training with us, setting a great example in this new cycle," he said.

20-year-old Pan Zhanle said he was looking forward to his fourth Worlds. "At the 2024 Doha Worlds, I broke the world record and won gold, so this event holds special memories. I hope to deliver my best in the 100m freestyle final."

Pan claimed four golds in Doha - including a world record in the 4x100m freestyle relay - and shattered the 100m freestyle world record again at the Paris Olympics on his way to winning gold.

In diving, the "Dream Team" will send 14 athletes across 13 events, but two-time Olympic champion Quan Hongchan is absent after withdrawing from May's national trials due to injury. Chang Yani, who won gold in women's synchronized 3m springboard at Paris 2024, will also miss the event. Rising stars Zhang Minjie and Chen Jia, who impressed at this year's Diving World Cup, earned their spots. On the men's side, Olympic champions Cao Yuan and Wang Zongyuan will lead younger teammates.

The artistic swimming team features 13 athletes competing in 11 events, including Paris Olympians Feng Yu, Chang Hao, Xiang Binxuan and Cheng Wentao. Olympic gold medalists Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi (duet) have yet to return post-Paris, making way for young twins Lin Yanhan and Lin Yanjun. Male swimmer Guo Muye has also secured a spot. China's artistic swimming squad, which made history with two golds in team and duet at Paris 2024, dominated the World Cup Super Final in June with seven golds, three silvers, and one bronze.

Additionally, China's open water team will send six swimmers across seven events, while the women's and men's water polo teams each have 15 athletes competing. ■