China has turned an anticipated swimming gold medal duel into a one-horse race at the Asian Games in Guangzhou.

China and Japan each won 16 swimming gold medals at the Doha Games four years ago, and the two countries were expected - at least by the Japanese side - to engage in another battle for the top spot here.

But China has proven the Japanese wrong by winning 14 of the 19 gold medal events held in the first three days. In the men's 4x200m freestyle relay on Monday, China ended Japan's Asian Games record winning streak in a single event at 14 meets.