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China outscored Japan in first day of swimming at Guangzhou Asiad

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Hosts China made a good start in swimming as they collected four of the six gold medals in the first competition day at the Guangzhou Asian Games on Saturday.

Chinese young swimmers showed their strength today when 20-year-old Zhu Qianwei and 17-year-old Tang Yi made an one-two finish in the women's 200-meter freestyle.

Zhu, 20, touched the wall in one minute and 56.65 seconds, beating her teammate Tang by 0.43 second. Ito Hanae of Japan finished third in 1:58.24.

"I am satisfied with my performance," said Zhu, winner of the 4x200m freestyle relay at 2009 Rome world championships and runner-up of the event at Beijing Olympics.

"The training has been quite tough before the Asian Games and my coach was worried about my health. He didn't want me to train too hard before the event but I am always eager to practise. Now I am happy to get my reward for that."

In the women's 100m butterfly, China's teenager swimmer Jiao Liuyang dominated the whole race by clocking 57.76, beating Singapore's Tao Li by 0.48 second. Kato Yuka of Japan, who took the lead in the first 50m, finished third in 58.46.

"I'm not satisfied with the result," said the 19-year-old, runner-up of the 200m butterfly at Beijing Olympics. "I swam a little slow in the first 50m, and my coach told me to pay more attention on the tumble turns."

"I'm stronger at the 200m butterfly," she added.

Jiao also led the Chinese team to win the 4x100m medley relay. China dominated most of the race by clocking 3:57.80, while their archrival Japan took the second in 3:58.24. Chinese Hong Kong finished third in 4:06.83.

In the women's 50m breaststroke, Wang Randi won her first Asian Games gold.

The 19-year-old pouched the air after touching the ball in 31.04. Her teammate Zhao Jin took the silver in 31.13 while Japan's Suzuki Satomi settled for the bronze in 31.52.

One thing may disappoint the home fans was that the men's 200m butterfly title was lifted by Japanese Takeshi Matsuda and defending champion Wu Peng just managed a fourth finish.

Matsuda, 26, bronze medallist of the event in 2009 Rome world championships, splashed away in the last 50m to clock 1:54.02, while his teammate Ryusuke Sakata trailed in 1:55.23. Chen Yin of China took the third in 1:55.29.

"Four years ago and eight years ago, I didn't manage to win the 200m butterfly at the Asian Games," said Matsada. "Finally won the gold tonight made me feel very happy. I have been waiting for this medal for too long."

Matsuda had lost to Wu in the event in the previous two Asian Games in Busan 2002 and Doha 2006, but this time the Chinese failed to defend his title.

"I feel sorry," said Wu. "I swam too fast in the first half and I felt out of strength in the last 50m."

Japan also grabed gold medals in men's 400m individal medley as Yuya Horihata touched the wall first in 4:13.35.

Chinese Huang Chaosheng took the silver in 4:13.38 while Japanese Ken Takakuwa finished third in 4:16.42.

Sunday will saw world champion Zhang Lin of China meet Olympic champion South Korean Park Tae Hwan in men's 200m freestyle, while Wu Peng has another chance to prove himself in men's 100m butterfly.

Women's 400m individual medley, 4x100m freestyle relay and 200m backstroke, as well as men's 50m breaststroke will also take place on Sunday.