Beijing-August 2^nd, at the 2013 World Swimming Championships in Barcelona, Spain, China's world record holder Liu Zige won the gold medal in the women's 200 meters butterfly on Thursday.

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Liu Zige claimed the gold medal with a time of 2:04.59 seconds. This is also her first gold at world championship. Another Chinese athlete Jiao Liuyang who used to be an Olympic champion finished sixth in the race.

In today's race, Spanish swimmer Mireia Belmonte Garcia was supported warmly by Spanish fans. And she did cheer the local fans by taking a silver medal. Liu Zige led for most of the race and held off the strong challenge of Mireia Belmonte Garcia in the last fifty meters.

Spain's Mireia Belmonte Garcia claimed the silver in 2:04.78. And Hungary's Katinka Hosszu took the bronze in 2:05.59.  

When being interviewed after the race, Liu Zige said: "I'm glad to win. I had some injuries this year, but I recover from them and achieve the precious gold medal."

At 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Liu Zige won the women's 200 meters butterfly in a new world record of 2:04.18. In 2009, Liu Zige regained the 200 meters butterfly world record at the Chinese National Games, with a time of 2:01:81 to win the gold medal. She later added the short course world record at the World Cup in Stockholm with a time of 2:02:50.