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Golden day for Asia
China's Liu Zige smashes world record in women's 200-metre butterfly as Federer and Williams sisters knocked out of tennis competition.
- Agencies
- Published: 23:01 August 14, 2008
- China's Liu Zige smashed the women's 200-metre butterfly world record to pocket hosts’ first swimming gold at the Beijing Olympic Games.
- Image Credit: AP
Beijing: At least swimmers Kosuke Kitajima and Liu Zige accomplished something while getting wet yesterday at the Beijing Olympics.
Roger Federer and America's Williams sisters were all sent packing as attention turned from the swimming pool to the tennis courts yesterday.
On a day when, without Michael Phelps in a final, the Americans failed to win any gold medals at all and China took five, home favourite Lia Na beat Venus Williams in straight sets.
Sister Serena was also defeated, but there was an American triumph to savour late in the day when the country's number one player James Blake upset the odds by defeating top seed Federer in the quarterfinals.
Little-known swimmer Liu Zige became the latest Chinese star to shine at the Games by taking the women's 200 metres butterfly crown and smashing the world record by 1.6 seconds.
China continued to top the medal table with 22 golds, which is more than double the United States' 10, in their challenge to supplant America as the world's sporting powerhouse. In the overall medal count, China have 35 one more than the United States on 34.
Persistent rain washed out rowing, canoeing and kayak whitewater events at Beixiaoying Town, near Beijing, and affected baseball and softball, with games suspended or called off due to thunderstorms and lightning.
Only soggy beach volleyballers played through the heavy showers, as pockets of loyal fans watched in rain gear.
Clean sweep
But inside the Water Cube, Kitajima became the first man to sweep the breaststroke events for the second straight Olympics by winning the 200 in 2 minutes, 7.64 seconds.
"I was so calm that I think I could have seen each face in this venue," the Japanese swimmer said. "I enjoyed my race."
The host country celebrated when Liu won the 200 butterfly for China's first swimming gold medal of the games, setting the world mark of 2:04.18.
Jiao Liuyang also went under the previous best to give the teammates a 1-2 finish and send the crowd into a frenzy.
"I didn't expect that I could swim so fast," Liu said. "I've only improved in the last year."
Australia, led by Stephanie Rice, set the 18th world swimming record of the Beijing Games in the women's 4x200 metre freestyle relay, obliterating the previous mark by nearly six seconds to upset the Americans. Shooter Du Li had no complaints about the weather, after wilting under pressure in the women's 10 metre air rifle to win the Games first gold medal for China, she made amends in the women's 50 metre three positions event.
However, compatriot Wei Ning, of China, blamed the weather for finishing sixth in the women's skeet final, which was won by Chiara Cainero who lifted Italy to six gold medals and a share of third place with South Korea and Germany.
"It really affected my performance because the rain made my gun slippery and I missed several targets."
Yang Wei maintained China's gymnastics gold rush, winning their third gold in as many finals with an emphatic win in the individual all-around event.
Yang, the two-time defending world champion, finished with 94.575 points yesterday, nearly three points ahead of Kohei Uchimura, of Japan.
Yang had finished second to Alexei Nemov in 2000 and fell apart at the Athens Olympics. "Today was perfect," Yang said. "I felt tired before the competition, but after it I feel relaxed."
On target
Zhang Juanjuan also won gold for China taking the women's individual archery gold to break one of the Olympics' tightest strangleholds on an event as South Korea had won in the previous six Olympics.
Germany continued its domination of the equestrian competition, capturing its third gold with a win in the team dressage.
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