SINGAPORE - China notched its first win in the men's water polo at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with a commanding 21-8 victory over host Singapore on Friday.

Drawn into Group D alongside world No. 1 Croatia, as well as European powerhouses Greece and Montenegro, China suffered three consecutive losses in the group stage and had to fight in the classification round to determine 13th to 16th places. Singapore had finished fourth in Group C.

China started strongly, establishing a 6-1 lead in the opening quarter and extending the margin to 12-4 by halftime. China maintained its momentum in the second half, while Singapore showed resilience and found some rhythm on offense, but the gap proved insurmountable.

Throughout the match, China demonstrated superior ball control and shooting efficiency, with five players contributing goals in the first quarter alone. Chen Zhongxian scored a hat-trick in the second quarter and added two more in the second half, finishing with six goals and earning the MVP award. Peng Jiahao also impressed with multiple goals from his center-forward position.

China will next play Australia on July 20 to vie for the 13th place in the overall standings.