Shaoxing, East China: calm continues to reign at the Chinese national swimming Olympic trials, which are not trials at all in the sudden-death sense: at Melbourne 2007, the Chinese coaching and management team announced that it would use trials as 'one event among many' and that about 85% of its team for Beijing 2008 would be chosen from the national team based in the capital. That way, the Olympic squad could be ring-fenced against rogues.

The best of the action came in the 200m butterfly events, 18-year-old Liu Zige, of Shanghai,on 2:07.76, ahead of Jiao Liuyang, Guangzhou Military Region, on 2:08.84, with three others under 2:10. Interesting to see who gets the ticket. Liu's best had been a 2:09.45, her improvement in line with others around the world. No idea what she was wearing, but I would imagine it was something sleeker than a duffle coat.

World silver medallist Wu Peng, Zhejiang, went slower in the final, with 1:55.19, a touch down on the 1:54.82 national reciord in set in heats. Not far back was Chen Yin, Hebei, on 1:55.62.

The 50m freestyle went to Cai Li, Zhejiang, on 22.70 with Zhou Jiawei, Guangdong, on 22.86. Not quite up to that 21.28 standard just yet.

The women's 400m freestyle also has some catching up to do:Tan Miao, Shandong, was first to stop the clock, at 4:09.69, ahead of You Meihong, Hunan, 4:10.83.

The new national record holder in the 100 meters breaststroke also found it hard to back up in morning finals, Xie Zhi, Yunnan, clocking 1:01.90 ahead of Wang Mengjian, Fujian, on 1:02.45.