How did the Chinese 4x100 swim relay team improve so much?

The Cleveland Leader asks how did the Chinese 4x100m relay team make up so much ground so quickly.

Michael Phelps wasn't the only one making waves in the pool today. The Chinese women's relay team was the top qualifier in the 4x100m freestyle competition. While that in itself may not be enough to arose suspicion, chew on this: coming into the heats, the team ranked an average of #39 in the world. Coming out of the heats, they became the top-seed and the team to beat in the relay. As the Chinese celebrated, alarm bells went off in just about everyone else.

The Leader says the Chinese were not so good just a few months ago.  They must be very dedicated.

The Chinese have not fared well in swimming any time recently. At 2007's World Championships, the Chinese won two medals, a silver and a bronze. Compare that to the United States, which won 20 golds, 13 silvers and 3 bronzes. How can the sudden, drastic improvement be explained?

The highest-ranked Chinese swimmer in the 100-freestyle was Pang Jiaying at #11. She anchored the relay in 52.83. The foursome's time of 3 minutes 36.78 seconds set a new Asian record and was just three seconds shy of the world record, which was set earlier this year by the Dutch. Germany finished in second at 3:37.52, and the United States pulled in third at 3.37.53.

Pang's portion of the relay was by far her best time this year by an astounding 1.34 seconds, and the fastest split by any swimmer in the event by over one second. Again, this left many wondering what could account for that much of a time drop.

Not that there is any reason for suspicions here the Chinese have always been clean (not)

If the Chinese team were found to be cheating, it wouldn't be the first time. During the 1990's, 30 Chinese swimmers failed drug tests in international competition, and in recent years they've been relative non-factors on the competitive swimming circuit. This year the Chinese had the same number of swimmers failing drug tests as the Americans.

In the months leading up to the Games, the big rumor in the international swimming world was that China had a shadow team that it was keeping largely sequestered, making it easier to escape the radar of drug testers. That notion was dismissed by Mark Shubert, the US national team director, and Eddie Reese again on Saturday.

Did the Chinese team work really work that hard to improve? Do they have some kind of home field advantage? Or, have they perhaps been artificially aided through steroids or even genetic enhancements? If they continue to uncharacteristically smash the competition in swimming, the allegations of cheating will only get stronger.

Comments

[Steve]

Hi! This post on the Olympics is great – thanks. Did you know you can grab live images from www.picapp.com - Check it out!

[Yes]

How about Michael Phelps? Is he clean? Maybe the other teams are off the juice.

[Larry D]

Maybe the Chinese swimmers got their hands on the stuff that the Americans have been taking.

[Ray Zinbran]

Americans have a 100 year tradition in swimming. Some dope, of course. But Phelps is in his 3rd olympics and has built his times over 12 years, unlike the guy in the 400 who was 147th in the world last year and now a silver medlist.

[Yes]

Tradition does not mean that you are not dirty. Just look at the USA track and field team. The USA always had a great tradition in sprinting and then we have the BALCO case.

[pfffff]

Ah, I see - and the american men´s relay that was 4 seconds faster than ever (mathematically every swimmer within the world record range) they are just getting there by training. Pathetic!

[VG]

Five teams were under the WR in the 400m relay, obviously the Americans weren't alone in smashing that record. One difference is that the Americans have the track record of doing well in that race while other teams (France) seemingly came out of nowhere to swim 4 seconds under the record.

[pfffff]

I agree - they are all drugged to the chin.

[buy valtrex]

Tradition does not mean that you are not dirty. Just look at the USA track and field team. The USA always had a great tradition in sprinting and then we have the BALCO case.

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How come some athletes do drugs while they are always capable of maximizing their skills.

[muebles]

It won't have effect in actual fact, that's what I suppose. It won't succeed as a matter of fact, that's what I believe.

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