Chinese meet gives a peek into new pool talents
Source: Agencies |
April 28, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A STRING of world class times from a band of talented teenagers at the Chinese national championships last week could be the first signs of a new wave of top Chinese swimmers emerging for the London Olympics.
After the first generation of swimmers were discredited following the doping scandal that broke in the 90s, China was expected to strike it big at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
But China could only muster six medals in Beijing with just one gold contributing to its table topping haul of 51 titles.
Liu Zige won the gold in the women's 200 meters butterfly.
Although Liu, 21, missed the five-day national championships in Shaoxing, which finished on Monday, there was no shortage of women's talent on display in the small city in Zhejiang Province.
Li Xuanxu, 16, set the best time of the year in women's 400m individual medley as well as world class times in the 400m and 800m freestyle despite complaining of illness before the meet.
Jiao Liuyang, the 19-year-old who finished runner up behind Liu in Beijing, grabbed the year's best times in the women's 100m and 200m butterfly, while 14-year-old Ye Shiwen won the 200m individual medley with the second fastest time of the year.
National team head coach Yao Zhengjie was happy, especially because the times were achieved without wearing the controversial polyurethane suits which were banned in January.
"The results of the swimmers were not surprising. I am happy that they did better than last year's national games," he told Beijing Youth Daily.
"Firstly in this transition year the swimmers are not at their top form. Second without the polyurethane swimsuits the swimmers felt themselves heavier in the water."
Zhang Lin, world champion in the 800m freestyle, was the best man on show, winning three titles with a world's best time of the year in the men's 400m freestyle.
The 23-year-old declared himself "90 percent" happy with his performance and said he had benefitted from the training he recently underwent in the United States.
"The overseas training was visibly effective, he has made obvious improvement in the combination of speed and endurance," his coach Chen Yinghong told China Sports Daily.
China is now planning to send more athletes abroad to benefit from different coaching methods.
"It will be a precious opportunity for them to train abroad," said Zhang. "The improvement of a team mate will push everybody. It indicates that Chinese men's swimming is gradually rising."
After the first generation of swimmers were discredited following the doping scandal that broke in the 90s, China was expected to strike it big at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
But China could only muster six medals in Beijing with just one gold contributing to its table topping haul of 51 titles.
Liu Zige won the gold in the women's 200 meters butterfly.
Although Liu, 21, missed the five-day national championships in Shaoxing, which finished on Monday, there was no shortage of women's talent on display in the small city in Zhejiang Province.
Li Xuanxu, 16, set the best time of the year in women's 400m individual medley as well as world class times in the 400m and 800m freestyle despite complaining of illness before the meet.
Jiao Liuyang, the 19-year-old who finished runner up behind Liu in Beijing, grabbed the year's best times in the women's 100m and 200m butterfly, while 14-year-old Ye Shiwen won the 200m individual medley with the second fastest time of the year.
National team head coach Yao Zhengjie was happy, especially because the times were achieved without wearing the controversial polyurethane suits which were banned in January.
"The results of the swimmers were not surprising. I am happy that they did better than last year's national games," he told Beijing Youth Daily.
"Firstly in this transition year the swimmers are not at their top form. Second without the polyurethane swimsuits the swimmers felt themselves heavier in the water."
Zhang Lin, world champion in the 800m freestyle, was the best man on show, winning three titles with a world's best time of the year in the men's 400m freestyle.
The 23-year-old declared himself "90 percent" happy with his performance and said he had benefitted from the training he recently underwent in the United States.
"The overseas training was visibly effective, he has made obvious improvement in the combination of speed and endurance," his coach Chen Yinghong told China Sports Daily.
China is now planning to send more athletes abroad to benefit from different coaching methods.
"It will be a precious opportunity for them to train abroad," said Zhang. "The improvement of a team mate will push everybody. It indicates that Chinese men's swimming is gradually rising."
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