Japan’s Masayo Imura, who coached China to their first Olympic synchronised swimming medal, is to take the helm for a third time, through to the 2012 London Olympics, a report said yesterday.

Imura said Japan did not offer her a coaching job after she helped China sweep all three Asian Games gold medals in Guangzhou last November during a brief stint in charge, the Asahi Shimbun said.

She has chosen China among three other countries that did.

“I had a slight hope of assisting Japan after last year’s Asian Games. But the Japan Swimming Federation did not approach me and I chose China, which made the first offer,” the 60-year-old Imura was quoted as saying.

It was a big snub for Imura, known as “mother of synchro” at home, who guided Japan to the podium in six consecutive Olympic Games to Athens 2004.

China won the team bronze with her in charge at the 2008 Beijing Games, while Japan finished fifth.

Imura said it was “only natural” that China would secure a berth at the Olympics during the world championships to be held in Shanghai in July.