The long-time rivalry between China and Japan will continue in the pool at the Asian Games in Doha from Dec. 1-15.

But this time, the well-prepared Chinese swimmers will take advantage.

It is said that some big names, including Athens Olympic Games women's 800 meters freestyle champion Ai Shibata, veteran Sachiko Yamada in women's long distance freestyle, Tomomi Morita for men's backstroke, Hanae Ito for women's backstroke, are all out of the games because they will concentrate on the world championships next spring.

Japan has had dazzling performances at the world-class competitions, winning three titles at the 2004 Olympic Games and three golds, eight silvers and 13 bronzes at the Pan Pacific Championships last August.

China only snatched one gold in Athens by Luo Xuejuan in the women's 100m breaststroke. Luo will miss the Asian Games due to health reasons.

Four years ago, China crushed the absent-minded Japan 20-11 on the gold medal count in Busan, when Chinese women proved the cream of the crop by wrapping 13 golds among 16 events on offer while Japan claimed victories in eight men's and three women's disciplines.

In Doha, the absences of the Japanese stars will give a better chance to China to rule the pool. China will send a 39-member mixed team of veterans and new-faces, including defending champions Qi Hui, Zhou Yafei, Xu Yanwei, Wu Peng and a group of teenagers.

China will take command in 19 women's events, except in backstroke and 200m butterfly in which Japan has a star-studded line-up with Olympic bronze medalist Reiko Nakamura and two of world top butterflyers Yuko Nakanishi and Yurie Yano.

Spearheaded by two-time Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima, Japan will enjoy supremacy in the men's events, almost in every discipline.

Kitajima broke 200m world record in Busan and will defend his titles in both 100m and 200m.

Zhang Yadong, head coach of the Chinese swimming team, refused to predict the number of gold medals but insisted: "Asian Games is considered the mid-term exam for us as the final exam refers to Olympics. What we hope is that all swimmers could perform their best and the rookies make auspicious debuts in Doha."

"We don't think winning the No. 1 spot in the Asiad means that we are better than Japan. The most important battle is yet to come in the Beijing Olympic Games," the head coach said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2006)