Beijing's National Aquatics Center will witness a final showdown between Japan's Kosuke Kitajima and U.S. swimmer Brendan Hansen Monday morning, as the two long-time rivals both charged into the final.

Kitajima, the reigning Olympic champion, entered the men's 100-meter breaststroke final as the second fastest in the semifinals while world record holder Hansen was the fifth.

"It's good to get that first race under your belt. I want every race to get faster than the next," said Hansen, who failed to qualify for the 200 breaststroke, an event he won bronze in Athens.

The two will face serious challenge from Norwegian Alexander Dale Oen, who cut Olympic records twice in the heats and semifinals and entered the final as the top seed.

In the men's 4X100 freestyle relay, the United Stats seems to have put the gold in its pocket as the quartet of Nathan Adrian, Cullen Jones, Ben Wildman Tobriner and Matt Grevers entered the final with a new world record. But still, the U.S swimmers cannot afford any minute error in Monday's final as France, Australia and Italy are only less than half a second behind them.

In the women's events, Australian talent Libby Trickett will seek her first Olympic individual gold in the women's 100-meter butterfly. Trickett made her Olympic debut in the 2004 Athens Games, in which she ended up with a relay gold and a bronze in 50-meter freestyle.

Reigning world champion Trickett said her Athens experience had changed her and made her strong enough for the competition in Beijing.

Trickett's challengers include her teammate Jessicah Schipper and U.S. swimmer Christine Magnuson. A 2005 champion and 2007 silver medalist in the world championships, Schipper could have her chance at the gold. Magnuson broke the U.S. record in Sunday's semifinals and only 0.03 seconds behind Trickett.

In the women's 400 freestyle final, Italian world record holder Federica Pellegrini secured a center lane with a new Olympic record. She will have to beat U.S. swim prodigy Katie Hoff and British Rebecca Adlington to win the gold. Athens champion Laure Manaudou narrowly made it to the final with a time 2.74 seconds behind Pellegrini.

Also on Monday, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, who already pocketed one gold with a new world record Sunday, will have two races to break records, a 200 freestyle semifinal in the morning and a 200 butterfly in the afternoon.

Source:Xinhua