Promising return to form for China

Zhang Lin and the women's freestyle relay team triggered roars of Chinese delight at the Water Cube with record-breaking swims on the opening night of the Beijing Olympics swimming competition yesterday.

Zhang surpassed himself by shaving more than a second off his personal best time in an Asian record to be the second-fastest qualifier into Sunday's men's 400m freestyle final.

And the Chinese women left it to the last event to establish a second Asian record with a sensational combined effort to be the fastest qualifiers into Sunday's final of the 4x100m freestyle relay.