Chinese swimmers stun world as Du seeks redemption
Friday, 15 August 2008
BEIJING, Aug 14 (AFP): Chinese swimmers Liu Zige and Jiao Liuyang produced stunning swims Thursday to win gold and silver in the Olympic women's 200 metres butterfly with the world record being shattered in the process.
It was a remarkable achievement by two women who have done little of note before, with Liu clocking two minutes 04.18 seconds to shave over a second off the previous mark set by Australian Jessicah Schipper in 2006.
Jiao's time was also under the old world mark, leaving Schipper to trail home in third place.
"I didn't feel pressure before the competition, I tried to relax," said Liu.
"And in the race I just swam at my own pace, not caring about others. My coach said to me that we will have two Chinese swimmers in the final, so you don't need to force yourself to win gold, you just need to try your best."
It was China's first swimming gold of the Games and only its third since its prime at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, when it won four.
Since then the squad has had to fight the stigma of doping scandals and managed just two titles in the following three Games -- one in 1996 and one in 2004.
It helped boast China's overall medal tally to 18 golds, six silvers and five bronzes in the battle to be the most dominant sporting nation on earth.
But there was pain in the pool for Pang Jiaying, disqualified after winning her women's 100m freestyle heat for jumping before the start gun. Pang won bronze in the 200m freestyle.
Meanwhile, shooter Du Li has a chance to redeem herself after failing to win the first gold medal of the Games, as world champion all-round gymnast Yang Wei goes on the prowl for a second title.
Also in action on day six of the Games is tennis star Li Na who has a major test against Venus Williams for a place in the semi-finals, while badminton's bad boy Lin Dan looks to book his place in the last four.
Crack markswoman Du suffered an embarrassing defeat in the first event of the Beijing Olympics, with the defending champion finishing fifth in the 10m air rifle when she was tipped to win.
The pressure got to her and the honour of being China's first gold medallist instead went to weightlifter Chen Xiexia, who is set to become a millionaire through endorsements and sponsorships for achieving the feat.
Du can regain credibility in the 50m three-position rifle.
Currently ranked world number two, she said: "I always believed I could do well in both events and I have improved a lot in three-position since 2004."
She faces off against defending champion Lioubov Galkina of Russia and world number one Sonja Pfeilschifter of Germany.
Also on the ranges, Athens silver medallist Wei Ning will be in contention in the women's skeet final.
With one title already in the bag from the men's team gold, Yang shapes as a hot favourite in the all-round finals.
"After claiming the team gold, I'm very relaxed," said the 28-year-old, who is a strong performer in all the apparatus, but favours the parallel bars.
"I have no goal in the all-round, just to try my best."
Gymnasts from Germany and Japan will press him hard.
It was a remarkable achievement by two women who have done little of note before, with Liu clocking two minutes 04.18 seconds to shave over a second off the previous mark set by Australian Jessicah Schipper in 2006.
Jiao's time was also under the old world mark, leaving Schipper to trail home in third place.
"I didn't feel pressure before the competition, I tried to relax," said Liu.
"And in the race I just swam at my own pace, not caring about others. My coach said to me that we will have two Chinese swimmers in the final, so you don't need to force yourself to win gold, you just need to try your best."
It was China's first swimming gold of the Games and only its third since its prime at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, when it won four.
Since then the squad has had to fight the stigma of doping scandals and managed just two titles in the following three Games -- one in 1996 and one in 2004.
It helped boast China's overall medal tally to 18 golds, six silvers and five bronzes in the battle to be the most dominant sporting nation on earth.
But there was pain in the pool for Pang Jiaying, disqualified after winning her women's 100m freestyle heat for jumping before the start gun. Pang won bronze in the 200m freestyle.
Meanwhile, shooter Du Li has a chance to redeem herself after failing to win the first gold medal of the Games, as world champion all-round gymnast Yang Wei goes on the prowl for a second title.
Also in action on day six of the Games is tennis star Li Na who has a major test against Venus Williams for a place in the semi-finals, while badminton's bad boy Lin Dan looks to book his place in the last four.
Crack markswoman Du suffered an embarrassing defeat in the first event of the Beijing Olympics, with the defending champion finishing fifth in the 10m air rifle when she was tipped to win.
The pressure got to her and the honour of being China's first gold medallist instead went to weightlifter Chen Xiexia, who is set to become a millionaire through endorsements and sponsorships for achieving the feat.
Du can regain credibility in the 50m three-position rifle.
Currently ranked world number two, she said: "I always believed I could do well in both events and I have improved a lot in three-position since 2004."
She faces off against defending champion Lioubov Galkina of Russia and world number one Sonja Pfeilschifter of Germany.
Also on the ranges, Athens silver medallist Wei Ning will be in contention in the women's skeet final.
With one title already in the bag from the men's team gold, Yang shapes as a hot favourite in the all-round finals.
"After claiming the team gold, I'm very relaxed," said the 28-year-old, who is a strong performer in all the apparatus, but favours the parallel bars.
"I have no goal in the all-round, just to try my best."
Gymnasts from Germany and Japan will press him hard.