Intro:

With three months to go for the London Olympic Games, top Chinese swimmers are gathering in Shaoxing - a tourist city in central China Zhejiang province, hoping to achieve a swimming berth.

Over 500 men and women are taking part in the one-week National Swimming Championships from April 2nd to 8th, which also serves as the Olympic trials.

Script:

With three months to go for the London Olympic Games, top Chinese swimmers are gathering in the hope of achieving a swimming berth.

Over 500 men and women are taking part in the one-week National Swimming Championships from April 2nd to 8th, which also serves as the Olympic trials.

Sun Yang is the shining star of the competition.

Having won three gold medals, the young Chinese swimming sensation has one more event in which to compete on Saturday.

However, the world champion has already set his eyes on the road to London.

Sun will go to Australia again after this Chinese event, and he hopes he can recapture his best form before the London Games.

SOUNDBITE(Mandarin)

"My next goal will be London. As there is no more competitions before the London Olympics"
SUPER CAPTION: Sun Yang, men's 1500m freestyle world record holder

The only gold medal for China from the pool of the Beijing Olympics was won by Li Zige in the women's 200m butterfly.

However, the world-record holder seems not in the best condition and admitted that it has been her fault that she has not been co-operating well with her coaching staff.

The Beijing Olympic champion hopes that she can rediscover her best form in London.

SOUNDBITE(Mandarin)

"I think my performance in this event is not good enough, the main reason is that my training has not been well recently. There are still some technical aspects that I have not done well and some problems I need to fix in my training."

SUPER CAPTION: Li Zige, Beijing Olympic gold medallist.

SOUNDBITE(Mandarin)

"In London Olympics, of course, I hope that I can defend my championship in the 200m butterfly.

However, I really need to work hard in the rest of the months ahead of the Games."

SUPER CAPTION: Li Zige, Beijing Olympic gold medallist.

But it is not a easy job for Liu, as one of her toughest challengers will be her compatriot - Jiao Liuyang, the runner-up in Beijing Games in the 200 metrs butterfly.

Jiao has picked up three gold medals in the seven-day domestic trial event.

Jiao hopes to win a gold medal in London - but she said the top agenda for her is to work more on her physical strength and speed in the swimming.

SOUNDBITE(Mandarin)

"I think, for me, the most important thing to do (in the training ahead of the Olympics) is how to improve my physical strength and speed in the middle of the competition."

SUPER CAPTION: Jiao Liuyang, World champion, Beijing Olymic silver medallist on women's 200m butterfly.

Zhang Lin, might not have the opportunity to represent his country in London after he suffered an asthma attack.