The long-time rivalry between China and Japan will continue in
the pool at the Asian Games in Doha from Dec. 1-15.
But this time, the well-prepared Chinese swimmers will take
advantage.
It is said that some big names, including Athens Olympic Games
women's 800 meters freestyle champion Ai Shibata, veteran Sachiko
Yamada in women's long distance freestyle, Tomomi Morita for men's
backstroke, Hanae Ito for women's backstroke, are all out of the
games because they will concentrate on the world championships next
spring.
Japan has had dazzling performances at the world-class
competitions, winning three titles at the 2004 Olympic Games and
three golds, eight silvers and 13 bronzes at the Pan Pacific
Championships last August.
China only snatched one gold in Athens by Luo Xuejuan in the
women's 100m breaststroke. Luo will miss the Asian Games due to
health reasons.
Four years ago, China crushed the absent-minded Japan 20-11 on
the gold medal count in Busan, when Chinese women proved the cream
of the crop by wrapping 13 golds among 16 events on offer while
Japan claimed victories in eight men's and three women's
disciplines.
In Doha, the absences of the Japanese stars will give a better
chance to China to rule the pool. China will send a 39-member mixed
team of veterans and new-faces, including defending champions Qi
Hui, Zhou Yafei, Xu Yanwei, Wu Peng and a group of teenagers.
China will take command in 19 women's events, except in
backstroke and 200m butterfly in which Japan has a star-studded
line-up with Olympic bronze medalist Reiko Nakamura and two of
world top butterflyers Yuko Nakanishi and Yurie Yano.
Spearheaded by two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima, Japan
will enjoy supremacy in the men's events, almost in every
discipline.
Kitajima broke 200m world record in Busan and will defend his
titles in both 100m and 200m.
Zhang Yadong, head coach of the Chinese swimming team, refused
to predict the number of gold medals but insisted: "Asian Games is
considered the mid-term exam for us as the final exam refers to
Olympics. What we hope is that all swimmers could perform their
best and the rookies make auspicious debuts in Doha."
"We don't think winning the No. 1 spot in the Asiad means that
we are better than Japan. The most important battle is yet to come
in the Beijing Olympic Games," the head coach said.
(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2006)