Asian Games Preview: China Tabs Low Key Against Japan for Asiad Splash

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 23, 2002

Asian Games Preview: China Tabs Low Key Against Japan for Asiad Splash

China or Japan? The question of who is the number one swimming power in Asia has been asked for a decade. It is no exception for the upcoming Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

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China or Japan? The question of who is the number one swimming power in Asia has been asked for a decade. It is no exception for the upcoming Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

However, the Chinese squad tuned down the topic and admitted for the first time that it is impossible to beat Japan in the pool.

"I don't want to get into debates about who is the best," said Chinese head coach Zhao Ge. "The rivalry remains but I don't think we can beat our long-time rival this time. Yes, they are stronger."

Japan, who topped the last Asiad with 15 golds against 13 for China, maintains its advantages in most of the men's events while China dominates some women disciplines according to last year's world rankings.

Thirty nine Chinese women swimmers made the world's top 10 in 14 out of 16 events in the year of 2001 while Japan had only 12 swimmers in 11 events.

"Our goal is to win nine to 11 gold medals while the Japanese are capable of capturing at least 15," said Zhao.

The head coach singled out the women's 50 meters, 100m and 200mfreestyles, 100m and 200m breaststrokes, 4X100m and 4X200m freestyle relays as China's domain in the 32-event swimming competition.

Tipped as "double safe", Luo Xuejuan, dual breaststroke winner at the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan last year and Qi Hui,world record holder in the 200m breaststroke, are expected to outshine their rivals.

The newly-crowned 800m freestyle relay quartet and world record holders at the World Short Course Championships in Moscow last April will also join the leading stars of the 34-member Chinese swimming team to the South Korean port city.

"The women breaststrokers and freestyle sprinters are our trump cards. If we are lucky enough, we can take four other women's trophies - the 200m individual medley, 400m, 800m freestyles and 4x100m medley relay," said Zhou Ge.

Japan's Sachiko Yamada, who broke the short course world record in the women's 800m freestyle four months ago and wrapped up medals at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships recently, will be the biggest threat to Chinese Chen Hua, defending champion in the 400m and 800m freestyles.

"I am excited to have a showdown with Yamada, against whom I haven't swum for one year," said the 20-year-old Chen, former short course world mark holder in the 800m freestyle.

"I am confident of retaining my titles. She has never beaten me when we competed side by side," she added.

What makes the Chinese a step closer to reach their gold target is the absence of Tomoko Hagiwara, a backstroker-turned all-arounder and key member of the Japanese team, who requested to skip the Games due to health reasons.

Hagiwara, who claimed the sole victory for the Japanese women in the 200m individual medley at the Pan Pacific, was treated for a stress-related disorder after she collapsed on the pool deck during the championships.

She planned to compete in the 100m and 200m freestyles, 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley and three relays in Busan.

Her absence may leave the door of 200m medley wide open for Chinese Qi Hui and Zhou Yafei, a fourth-place finisher over the distance at the Pan Pacific, and relieve pressure on the Chinese freestylers.

Qi, who will strive for victory in both breaststroke and medleyat the Asian Games, said that "it is a pity that Hagiwara is unable to swim in Busan. I thought that with such a competitive rival I might better my personal best."

Though Hagiwara stands away from the Games, the 40-strong Japanese squad which collected two golds, four silvers and eight bronzes at the Pan Pacific, will gun for most of the titles in thepool.

"Japan is a traditional swimming powerhouse in Asia and enjoys upperhands in a lot of events, especially in the men's. Their swimmers have shown good forms at the Pan Pacific," Zhao said.

Zhao acknowledged that Japan enjoyed supremacy in the men's events, almost in every discipline, except the backstroke and long distance freestyle where Chinese Ouyang Kunpeng and Yu Cheng may harvest their chances.

Ouyang shattered the men's 100m backstroke national record which was only 0.06 seconds outside of the Asian record 55.05 set by Daichi Suzuki in the 1988 Asian Games, in a time trial two months ago.

Yu Cheng's 1,500m freestyle national record in last year's National Games is close to the Asian record and ahead of the Japanese swimmers who competed at the Pan Pacific.

"The hopes for the Chinese men swimmers, if any, will be on Ouyang and Yu. We hope that they will have good fights against the Japanese and bring home a gold," Zhao said.

Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and Chinese Taipei scooped up four titles four years ago in Bangkok. The underdogs may stun the two giants with sizzling performances in Busan.

"Don't forget other rivals. South Korea has promising talents and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea always cracks unexpected shots in big events," said Zhao.

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