Athens Olympic champion Hosuke Kitajima said here Sunday that he and his Japanese teammates would like to revenge on China in the swimming pool at the Asian Games.

Kitajima, qualifying for the evening's 50m breaststroke with a second best time after Vladislav Polyakov of Kazakhstan, said they were determined to win over China on the second day of the swimming competitions.

China pulled off five gold medals, including the men's 200m butterfly by Wu Peng over Japanese aces East Asian Games winner Takeshi Matsuda and Ryuichi Shibata while Japan bagged the only other one in men's 400m individual medley.

"Yesterday Japan was beaten by China in five races, so in our team we said 'Let's beat China'," said Kitajima, who raced to the titles in 100m and 200m breaststroke in Athens in 2004.

"I feel so-so (in the heat). This is my first race in the Asian Games, so I wanted to swim relaxed. But I feel a bit nervous. I want to swim faster in the final and record a better time," he said.

The 50m event was newly added to the Asian Games program and Kitajima will defend his 100m and 200m crowns after he eased to the 200m gold with a then world record time of 2:09.97.

Another Japanese Hiromasa Sakimoto in the 50m breaststroke finished third fastest in the heats.

"My swim was good and my form is good too," he said. "In the final I want to swim better and I want to break my personal best."

Japan sees other gold hopes in both men's 100m butterfly and women's 200m backstroke.

Takashi Yamamoto, silver medalist in the 200m fly in Athens, would become the first male swimmer to triumph in the same event for three consecutive times in Asian Games if he wins in the evening.

"I feel I can be faster tonight. I will try to get the gold medal," he said.

Chinese Zhou Jiawei and Wang Dong will try to find a place on the podium.

Zhou, breaking the 50m Asian record in 23.86 in May's national trial, said he was not best in the 100m.

"The 100m butterfly is not my favorite and the Japanese are stronger than me," he said.

Reiko Nakamura will attempt to defend her Asian Games title in 200m backstroke after she became winner of the event at the 2006 Pan Pacifics and bronze medalist in both Athens Olympics and 2005 world championships.