Sun Yang of China celebrates after winning the men's 400m freestyle final at the Gwangju 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, July 21, 2019. (LI GANG / XINHUA)

SHENZHEN - Featuring 70 top swimmers from 26 countries and regions, the second edition of the FINA Champions Swim Series will kick off here in Shenzhen from Jan 13-14 with home favorites Sun Yang, Xu Jiayu and Ye Shiwen leading the host team.

The participating swimmers have an accumulated total of 59 Olympic and 163 World Championship medals.

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Among the 41 men's swimmers, three-time Olympic champion and 11-world titlist Sun Yang will clash with Lithuania's rival Danas Rapsys in the 200m and 400m freestyle.

World champion Xu Jiayu will face the reigning Olympic champion Ryan Murphy of the United States while individual medley swimmer Wang Shun will challenge Japanese Daiya Seto, current world champions in 200m and 400m events.

In the women's field, 2012 Olympic champion Ye Shiwen will engage in a showdown with Hungarian Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu in the 200m individual medley and try her new favorite 200m breaststroke. Meanwhile, world record holder Liu Xiang will make a splash in the women's 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle.

The FINA Champions Swim Series includes a two-day schedule for each leg, with 14 individual and one relay race per session.

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Following on the successful formula in 2019, no heats were held, with the four invited swimmers directly contesting their respective finals. An eye-catching entertainment program, with music and a light show, will also be performed during each of the sessions. The total prize money up for grabs is over US$1.2 million per leg.

The second leg of the FINA Champions Swim Series will move to Beijing from January 18-19.