China's top breaststroker Qi Hui failed to enter the women's 200 meters individual medley semifinals here on Monday and will only have one individual event to go in the 200m breaststroke.
Qi finished the four-lap event in two minutes 14.25 seconds, ranking the 20th. "I thought I could get into the finals," she said.
"I used up too much strength in the backstroke, and didn't get a chance to do well in breaststroke, which is my stronger leg," she added.
Qi was the 2006 Asian champion in the 200 individual medley.
"The individual medley has really gone deep this year and everyone is improving at a shocking pace. But the breaststroke has not gone as deep, I hope I can do my best," she added.
Qi will have a chance to challenge Australian Leisel Jones in the 200m breaststroke on Wednesday.
Qi didn't wear her new Speedo suit for the quarterfinal, complaining the suit was "too consuming". "Everytime I tried on the Speedo suits, it took at least 20 minutes and I was sweating all over," she said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 11,2008)