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Kevin Lee

Name: Wu Peng 
Born: May 16, 1987 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province 

Beijing entry: Men's 200 metre butterfly 

Career highlights: World championships silver medal in 2006 

Medal rivals: Michael Phelps (US), Nikolay Skvortsov (Russia)


While most top swimmers curse their luck at having to compete against American sensation Michael Phelps, China's Wu Peng thinks otherwise. In fact, he can't believe his luck.

The 21-year-old from Zhejiang province is China's top medal hope in the pool this summer, even if a gold medal seems out of reach  given the presence of Phelps, who won six gold medals in Athens and wants more glory in Beijing.

'Maybe I'd have a better chance of gold if Phelps wasn't the same age as me. But there is something special about the situation - being able to compete against him,' Wu, Asia's 200m butterfly record holder said. 'He has unbelievable talent and he's a great guy. I'm going to enjoy  the opportunities to compete against him.'

The duo's only clash came last year at the world championships in Melbourne. Phelps won - setting a world record for good measure - and Wu came in second to earn silver, albeit three seconds behind the winner. 

'Phelps is my motivation,' Wu said. 'I will try my best to follow in his footsteps. It's a lot of fun trying to get close to him.'

Wu made a name for himself in 2002 at the age of 15 when he won three golds at the Pusan Asian Games in South Korea. According to Shang Xiutang, deputy director of the China Swimming Administrative Centre, Wu is considered the team's best shot at earning gold in Beijing.

Swimming officials have done everything they can to elevate Wu to the lofty status exclusively enjoyed by Phelps. They established a hi-tech training base in Beijing, which includes a 40-man research team to monitor performances, and they employed experienced Australian Otto Sonnleitner as the country's first foreign coach in the sport.

And with swimsuit technology advancing rapidly, officials have made sure Wu will be suitably dressed for success.

'A swimsuit doesn't generate champions,' Wu said at the national Olympic trials in April. 'It's your training level and experience that decides your result at the Olympics. A swimsuit is not enough.

'You have to look at the gap between China and the international powerhouses, not only me and Phelps. If I could use an engine in the pool, I could probably beat him.'

Even if they fit Wu with an engine, the team would struggle to repeat the highs of the 1992 Barcelona Games when they scored four gold medals. China has won just two more golds since Barcelona, and suffered a blow when Athens 100m breaststroke champion Luo Xuejuan retired citing ill health last year.

A gold medal may be out of reach, but coach Sonnleitner believes silver or bronze isn't too far fetched.  

'It depends on how we prepare in the remaining time. We need to improve our technique and our training programme,' he said. 'We should also take the risk and compete in some major tournaments rather than close the door before the Games. China still has the chance to win a medal.'




No 45: Wu Peng