Chinese swimmers stun world
2008-08-14 05:50
Beijing - Chinese swimmers Liu Zige and Jiao Liuyang produced stunning performances on Thursday to win gold and silver in the Olympic women's 200m 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 their third since their 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.