Chinese swimmer Zhang Lin sets a new Asian record of 15 minutes, 00.27 seconds in the men’s 1,500 meters freestyle.-Xinhua

Zhang Lin eclipsed the continental 1,500-meter freestyle record yesterday, quelling the short-lived challenge by Japanese swimmers to China's domination at the 4th East Asian Games even as Liu Xiang mania gripped Macau.
Overhauling South Korea's Park Tae-hwan on the last strokes of the 30-lap race, Zhang timed 15 minutes, 00.27 seconds to wipe almost nine seconds off the Asian mark.
"I feel this is the best I've ever swum, and I'm very happy with the result," said Zhang, who took 10 seconds off his previous best.
But, Liu's coach was forced to plead on television, asking overzealous supporters to leave the Olympic 110-meter hurdles champion alone.
Liu's gold medal in the event was one of 26 won by China yesterday.
China remains the runaway leader with 74 golds, with Japan a distant second on 10, one more than South Korea.
The 22-year-old Liu defended his EAG title in 13.21 seconds, beating teammate Shi Dongpeng (13.36) and Japan's Kota Kumamoto (13.89).
Liu is feeling the weight of being famous. "We are very grateful to our supporters," Liu's mentor Sun Haiping said on Macau's TDM television. "But overzealous fans disrupt his training and distract him from the ultimate goal: the 2008 Olympic Games.
"So, please, please let him do his job."
Spectators in the Macau Stadium looked on races indifferently until Liu showed up. Girls shrieked when the big screen flashed a shot of Liu taking off his trousers.
Liu cleared all the hurdles smoothly and slowed at the finish.
His time was 0.16 seconds slower than his top time this year and a further 0.08 behind this season's best 12.97 set by Frenchman Ladji Doucoure, who beat Liu into second place at the world championships.

Ma Ning won javelin.-Xinhua

China also won nine athletic titles yesterday: the men's 20km walk (Yu Chaohong, 1:23.51), and high jump (Huang Haiqiang, 2.23m); and the women's 200m (Chen Lisha, 23.78 seconds), 400m hurdles (Huang Xiaoxiao, 55.33 seconds), pole vault (Zhao Yingying, 4.40m), 800m (Liu Qing, 2:00.11), discus (Song Aimin, 64.32m), 20km walk (Wang  Liping, 1:34.01) and javelin (Ma Ning, 61.95m).
Japan had expected to beat China in the swimming pool, but the first day didn't see that happen.
Chinese swimmers won six golds, including Zhang's record, against Japan's three.
Olympic champion Luo Xuejuan easily won the women's 50m backstroke in 31.67 seconds, one second ahead of Sayaka Nakamura of Japan.
China also won the men's 4x200m relay, men's 100m breaststroke (Zeng Qiliang), women's 200m butterfly (Li Jie) and women's 100m freestyle (Pang Jiaying).
Japan's golds came from Yuta Shoji in the men's 200 individual medley, and Aya Terakawa and Tajanu Ugarasgu who finished joint first in the women's 200m backstroke.
China dominated the final-day gymnastics competition by sweeping seven golds from the men's pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and women's uneven bars, balance and floor exercise.

Zhang Penghui won men's 25m rapid fire pistol. -Xinhua

In shooting, China nailed the women's rifle prone event (Shan Hong) and men's 25m rapid fire pistol (Zhang Penghui), with DPRK's Kim Jong-su pocketing the men's 10m air pistol top honor.