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.

"More and more Chinese swimmers go overseas for training," said Takeshi Matsuda, a member of the relay team and the winner in Saturday's 200 butterfly. "It seems like Chinese swimming is looking at the world more seriously than us."

World 200m backstroke silver medalist Ryosuke Irie, another Japanese winner in Guangzhou, is also impressed by the Chinese team's performance.

"My impression at these games is Chinese swimmers are very strong," he said. "We are not doing badly at all, with some of us posting personal-best times, but the Chinese still keep outperforming us. The rise of Chinese swimming makes me think the level of Asia is getting closer and closer to the world."

Chinese women have won all 10 events. Five silver and four bronze are all Japanese women have been able to manage.

- THE MAINICHI DAILY NEWS (JAPAN)

(China Daily 11/17/2010 page42)