14-year-old Chinese girl emerges as threat to Oz swimmer Rice
By ANIMonday, November 15, 2010
SYDNEY - Twenty-two-year-old Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice faces a new threat from someone eight years her junior.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a 14-year-old Chinese girl has taken the swimming world by storm with a brilliant performance at the Asian Games in the 400m individual medley, an event in which Rice holds the world record.
Ye Shiwen, the youngest competitor on the host nation’s team, demolished the field in Sunday’s final, clocking four minutes 33.79 seconds.
It was the second best time in the world this year - behind only British swimmer Hannah Miley - and more than a second faster than Rice’s best time this year set at the Australian championships in March.
Rice, who missed the Delhi Commonwealth Games to have surgery on her troublesome shoulder, is already facing plenty of competition from within her own team in the lead-up to London.
Alicia Coutts and Emily Seebohm both ranked higher than her in the 200IM this year.
And the triple Beijing Olympic gold medallist will undoubtedly be worried by the potential of the exciting Ye, who has another two years to develop before the 2012 Olympics. (ANI)
