China put in another record-breaking performance in the East Asian Games swimming pool yesterday, sweeping seven of eight events to eclipse Japan's earlier 10-medal haul in track and field.

Zhang Lin, one night after smashing the Asian men's 1,500m freestyle record to announce China's re-emergence as a swimming power, took the 200m in a Games-best 1:48.64 seconds.

Asian record-holder Ouyang Kunpeng came from behind to snatch victory from Takashi Nakano in the 200m backstroke, also setting a new Games mark of 1:58.24.

Zhou Jiawei won the men's 50m butterfly in a Games-record 23.98 while Gao Chang also set a new record in the women's 50m backstroke.

"I was more nervous at the National Games but it's good to get experience in an international event like this," said Zhang.

"Winning the gold here will give me confidence for Beijing but right now I'm just a little bit tired and want to take it easy."

Japan's Takeshi Matsuda stopped a total whitewash, winning the men's 800m freestyle ahead of China's Xin Tong in the evening's penultimate race.

"I knew coming into the race that we didn't have any gold medals and I knew that I had to do something about that," said the World Championship silver medallist.

"At first I could see Xin next to me but then he fell behind and I knew if I couldn't see him any more I would be okay."

The haul moved China, runaway leaders in the medals table, to 87 gold medals for the tournament and within sight of their target of 100. China have been the top team at all three previous Games with a best performance of 105 in 1993.

Japan's total of 12 gold medals yesterday more than doubled their tally to 22 but third-placed Republic of Korea kept in touch on 20 with a four-for-four performance in taekwondo.

Japan had earlier put in a scintillating performance on the track to breathe life into their campaign.

Distance runners Toshinari Fujimoto, Yoshiko Ichikawa and Yoshitaka Iwamizu won the men's and women's half-marathons and the men's steeplechase before the Japanese sprinters took control.

China's Chen Lisha, who won the women's 200m on Wednesday, built up a huge lead in the 4x100m before Ni Xiaoli was pegged back by Rina Fukimaki on the third leg. Ayumi Suzuki closed out the win.

In the men's relay, Chinese Taipei also led until the third leg before being reeled in by Yusuke Omae and Shinya Saburi as Japan clocked 39.61. China finished third.

Yoshihiro Horigome led a Japanese gold-silver finish in the men's 400m after leading from two-thirds of the way round. Asian Championships bronze medallist Asami Tanno won the women's in 51.93.

Yasuhiro Tago fell on the first straight before recovering to finish second in the men's 1,500m behind team-mate Hiroyuki Morikawa. Kaori Kumasaka duelled with China's Xie Sainan before falling behind on the last bend in the women's event.

On the field, Hiroaki Doi hurled the hammer 70.35 metres to win the men's event and Takuro Mori won the pole vault at 5.30 metres after team-mates Satoru Yasuda and Zhang Hongwei failed to complete a jump.

For China, Asian champion Song Jian won the men's long jump with 7.77 metres and Li Rongxiang won the javelin with 79.75.

Olympic champion Du Li duly delivered in the women's 10m air rifle. Chinese Taipei won two tennis titles: the women's singles through Chan Yung-jan and the mixed doubles through Chuang Chia-jung and Yi Chu-huan.

Of the nine countries and regions competing here, only tiny Guam remain without medals.

Source: China Daily