Chinese take early plunge to prepare for Games

Chinese swimmers will compete in morning finals at a major meet this week to get used to early rises at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Last October, the IOC decided to move swimming finals and much of the gymnastics at next year's Games to the morning,...

Chinese swimmers will compete in morning finals at a major meet this week to get used to early rises at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Last October, the IOC decided to move swimming finals and much of the gymnastics at next year's Games to the morning, after American broadcaster NBC requested the switch to coincide with prime-time in the US.

Morning finals for the country's top swimmers at the Chinese Spring National Championships in Foshan, Guangdong province, were necessary to adapt to Olympic conditions, China coach Zhang Yadong said.

"We should live by the Olympic timetable from now on. The national meet can tell us what to change and what to improve for the Olympics," Zhang said.

China's swimmers struggled with early finals at March's World Championships in Melbourne, failing to win a single title.

Over 400 swimmers from 30 provincial teams will compete at the seven-day meet which serves as an Olympic qualifier.

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