Ye, Jiao to compete in new Aussie series

Teenage swim sensation Ye Shiwen and fellow London Olympic gold medalist Jiao Liuyang headline China's team for next month's inaugural Aquatic Super Series in Perth, organizers said yesterday.

Ye, who scored a medley double at the London Games, will rekindle her rivalry with Australia's Alicia Coutts at the meet on January 18-19 which also features swimmers from South Africa.

Coutts, Australia's best performer in the pool in London with five medals, took silver behind Ye in the Olympic 200m individual medley final.

Another Olympic gold medallist, London 200m butterfly champion Jiao, is part of the strong Chinese team but distance superstar Sun Yang is missing.

Chad le Clos spearheads the South African line-up. La Clos shocked the world when he defeated American great Michael Phelps in his pet event, the 200m butterfly in London, as well as winning silver in the 100m butterfly.

Australia is fielding a near full-strength squad, led by Coutts and James Magnussen in a revamped outdoor pool at Perth's Challenge Stadium.

"It's been four years since we've had the chance to compete in a home pool for Australia, and many of our athletes can't wait to get to Perth to compete," said Swimming Australia head coach Leigh Nugent.

"The Chinese are always strong and with 18 members of their Olympic team heading to Perth both our men and women will have plenty to swim for.

"From a South African point of view, they have also been very strong over the shorter distances and someone like Chad le Clos is able to back up and race well across a variety of events."

Meanwhile, the world short course championships is set to kick off with notable absentees, including megastar Michael Phelps and teenage sensation Missy Franklin.

Phelps was never going to figure after taking his bow from the sport with 22 Olympic medals to his name, while 17-year-old Franklin, who won four golds and bagged two world records in London, declined to take part.

Also missing is 100m freestyle champion Nathan Adrian, who has an injured finger.

Instead, the competition will feature eight Olympic champions, among them Ryan Lochte, the four-time Olympic champion and individual medley specialist, who will take part in his third competitive event since leaving the British capital.

Australia is looking to bounce back after a disappointing Olympics that left it without an individual gold medallist for the first time since 1976 and look to be building for the future by sending a young team.

France, traditionally strong in short-course swimming, is sending a smaller team of just nine swimmers just three weeks after its national championships

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