China Swims Two World-Leading Times on Day 5 of East Asian Games

OSAKA, Japan. May 25. CHINESE women swam two world-leading times on the next to last day of competition at the East Asian Games in Osaka, Japan.

Qi Hui, 16, lowered her time in the 200m individual medley to 2:13.09, defeating Japanese champion Tomoko Hagiwara by almost three full seconds. The Chinese women's 4 x 100m medley relay ran away with the event,
touching in a very swift 4:04.02, more than nine seconds ahead of Australia.

The Chinese women made it a sweep of tonight's events when Chen Hua took the 800m free in 8:32.61, decisively defeating Japan's Sachiko Yamada, 8:35.45, reversing their order of finish from the 400 meters two days earlier.

The Japanese men were almost as dominant as the Chinese women, taking two of the three events contested. Olympian Takashi Yamamoto won the 200m fly in a world-class 1:57.45, while newcomer Atsushi Nishiori showed he'll be a force to reckon with when he won the 100m back in 55.70, downing Chinese veteran
Ouyang Kunpeng, 56.14. Korea's Kim Min-Suk, took the only other men's event, the 50m free in 22.82.

For the Aussies, Canberra-based sprinter Stephen Goudie, Brisbane butterflyer Greg Shaw and the women’s 4x100m medley relay team all added second placings to Australia’s impressive results list on night five.

The Aussies have now chalked up five wins, 10 seconds and three third placings with one night of finals left to go.

Even though the Dolphins are among an Australian delegation who are ineligible to collect medals here, the Australian team is only one point behind China in the unofficial point score.

Host nation Japan leads with 275 points. China is second with 255, followed by Australia, 254, with both Japan and China fielding their World Championship teams against the emerging Dolphins outfit.

Korea's second winner of the meet, Kim Min-Suk, took the men's 50m free in 22.82, as Goudie dead-headed for second with Japan’s Tomohiro Yamanoi in 23.05.

It was Goudie’s third placing of the meet, after finishing second to teammate Rob Van Der Zant in the 100m freestyle and leading off Australia’s winning 4x100m freestyle relay team.

Japanese Olympian Takashi Yamamoto easily won the 200 meter butterfly in 1:57.45, with Australia's Greg Shaw second in 1:59.99. China's Xie Xufeng was a close third in 2:00.13.

China won the women's medley relay, but Australia was elevated to second after host nation, Japan, was disqualified for an illegal change over. With Japan's DQ, Hong Kong moved up to third, winning its first medal of the Games.

The Aussie team of Sophie Edington (backstroke, 1:04.13); Sarah Katsoulis (breaststroke, 1:11.56); Lara Davenport (butterfly, 1:00.88); and Melinda Geraghty (freestyle, (56.86) clocked a time of 4:13.43.

Earlier in the evening, 15-year-old Sydney schoolgirl, Jessica Abbott confirmed her promise as a swimmer to watch out for over the next three years, when she clocked a personal best time of 2:19.50 to finish fourth in the 200m individual medley.

Other Australians in action tonight were: Tammie Smith, fourth and Kate Krywulycz, sixth in the women’s 800m freestyle in 8:51.11 and 8:57.07 respectively and Beau Mannix (56.77) and Leigh McBean (57.70) fourth and sixth respectively in the men’s 100m backstroke.

Australia’s best chance for placings tomorrow night look to be in the mens 4x100m medley relay with Beau Mannix, Jim Piper, Burl Reid and Rob Van Der Zant going head-to-head against Japan and the men’s 1500m freestyle with Stephen Penfold and Andrew Affleck.

RESULTS
DAY 5: May 5, 2001

MEN
50m freestyle
1. Min-Suk Kim KOR 22.82
2. Stephen Goudie AUS 23.05
2. Tomohiro Yamanoi JPN 23.05
3. Jiang Chengji CHN 23.30

100m backstroke
1. Atsushi Nishikori JPN 55.70
2. Ouyang Kunpeng CHN 56.14
3. Yu Rui CHN 56.56
4. Beau Mannix AUS 56.77
6. Leigh McBean AUS 57.70

200m butterfly
1. Takashi Yamamoto JPN 1:57.45
2. Greg Shaw AUS 1:59.99
(26.86;57.43;1:28.44)
2. Xie Xufeng CHN 2:00.13
3. Geong-Nam Yu KOR 2:01.52
4. Shane Fielding AUS 2:00.81
(26.58;56.96;1:28.78)

WOMEN

800m freestyle
1. Chen Hua CHN 8:32.61
2. Sachiko Yamada JPN 8:35.45
3. Zhang Yan CHN 8:41.02
4. Tammie Smith AUS 8:51.11
6. Kate Krywulycz AUS 8:57.07

200m individual medley
1. Qi Hui CHN 2:13.09
2. Tomoko Hagiwara JPN 2:16.05
3. Maki Mita JPN 2:18.86
4. Jessica Abbott AUS 2:19.50
8. Rebekah Rychalsky AUS 2:30.90

4x100m medley relay
1. CHINA 4:04.02
2. AUSTRALIA 4:13.43
Sophie Edington 1:04.13
Sarah Kasoulis 1:11.56
Lara Davenport 1:00.88
Melinda Geraghty 56.86
2. KOREA 4:16.90
3. HONG KONG 4:22.07

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