The Good Luck Beijing Open rumbled on in Olympic city, the 400m freestyle won by Annika Lurz (GER) over You Meihong (CHN), 4:10.60 to 4:12.45, with Otylia Jedrzejczak (POL) third on 4:14.05, produced seven times in the final that were slower than evening heats. There is, however, no logical pattern to this: back in seventh over 400m was Zhu Qianwei (CHN) - winner of the 200m in 1:58.90, a decent improvement on her heats time - on 4:19.23, after a heats time of 4:13.46.

Qi Hui (CHN) took the 100m breaststroke in 1:09.24 a time that, as was the case over 200m, paled when compared to her speed in heats - 1:08.22. Whither Qun Yang? At 12 in 2006, she was tugging at Qi's goggle strap with time of 1:08.56 and 2:26.05. Last spring, she clocked 1:08.60 and in August 2007 a 1:09.01, while over 200m managed a 2:28.41. Will 2008 bring a return to form that we have yet to see?

Stefan Nystrand (SWE) put in a very decent 48.94 to win the 100m freestyle, and, at the other end of the spectrum and fresh from his fastest 400m ever, Zhang Lin (CHN) took the 1,500m 15:05.57.

Ryo Tateishi (JPN) claimed the 200m breaststroke in 2:13.61, a touch ahead of Olympic silver medal winner Daniel Gyurta (HUN), on 2:13.98, and Slawomir Kuczko (POL), on 2:14.23. In fourth and building for that medley moment against Michael Phelps, was Laszlo Cseh (HUN) with a 2:15.31 that compared to a 2:14.16 heats effort.

World-record holder Britta Steffen (GER) clocked a 54.28 opening leg in the 4x100m freestyle relay won by a Germany quartet in 3:41.07.

It is to be hoped, of course, that the tendency to swim slower in the morning than in the evening will not live on at the Games proper, lest we all end up yawning when we ought to be cheering.