Japanese breaststroke expert Kosuke Kitajima finished fourth in the men's 100 meters — the event he won twice at the Olympics — a day after faltering in the 50-meter event.
His teammate Ryo Tateishi won instead Monday night at the Aoti Aquatics Center. World championship silver medalist Ryosuke Irie added a second gold for Japan in the men's 200 backstroke to bring its total tally to four.
But with China taking the other five events of the day, the hosts still command a big lead of the swimming medals standings with 14 golds. Among the Chinese winners Monday was teenager Shao Yiwen, who beat compatriot Liu Jing by 3.31 seconds in the women's 400 freestyle.
Kitajima's loss was worrying for the 28-year-old as he prepares for the 2012 London Olympics, where he hopes to sweep the 100 and 200 breaststroke at a third straight Games.
With his poor form in the 50 and 100 in Guangzhou, the 200 event on Thursday now appears to be an open race.
The Japanese star was third at the 50-meter split but fell behind in the final stretch.
“I knew after my turn that I wouldn't win the race,” he told reporters. “I will do all that I can to do better in the 200-meter breaststroke.” Younger swimmers are ready to pounce. Bronze medalist, 19-year-old Wang Shuai from China, said he was excited about competing against Kitajima but also not overawed.
“I think it is also possible to beat him in the 200-meter breaststroke on Thursday. I don't think he is swimming well. The Chinese breaststroke swimmers are getting better now because we have improved our technique,” he said.
Tateishi said Kitajima may be in poor form but shouldn't be counted out.
“He has been training very hard and will come back,” he said.
While Kitajima may be past his prime, 15-year-old Shao appears to have a bright future.
The baby-faced, short-haired Chinese competitor burst onto the scene Monday night with a convincing win in her race, clocking 4 minutes and 5.58 seconds.
And that was her supposedly holding back. Hers was a strange victory — another Chinese swimmer, Liu Jing, led until the last split but Shao powered through in the final stretch, enough to gain a more than three-second lead on her older teammate.
“My coach told me to try my best to keep up with Liu Jing in the first 300 meters to win the gold medal,” Shao explained later. “Then in the last 100 meters, he told me to speed up.” Liu, hardly an old-timer at 20 years old, said she wasn't surprised by Shao's win.
“It is normal to see young swimmers coming up. We have many excellent young swimmers. You see (Chinese freestyle star) Zhang Lin got fourth place yesterday and I got second place. It is normal,” she said.
In other Chinese victories Monday went to Olympic silver medalist Jiao Liuyang in the women's 200 butterfly, Gao Chang in the women's 50 backstroke and Lu Zhiwu in the men's 50 freestyle. The Chinese men also clinched gold in the 4x200 freestyle relay, overcoming Japan and South Korea, which was led by Olympic 400 freestyle gold medalist Park Tae-hwan.
Seven golds are in play on Day 4 of the swimming competition Tuesday in the men's 50 butterfly, the women's 100 breaststroke, the men's 400 freestyle, the women's 50 freestyle, the men's 100 backstroke, the women's 4x200 freestyle relay and the men's 4x100 freestyle relay.