Coach Slams Chinese Swimmer's 'Impossible' Time

A Chinese swimmer's stunning world-record time at the Olympics has raised eyebrows—and elicited a pretty clear accusation, reports the Guardian. Ye Shiwen won the gold in the women's 400m individual medley, but her remarkable time of 4:28.43 is "unbelievable" and "impossible," said US swimming coach John Leonard. Ye even beat a gold-medal-winning male swimmer, Ryan Lochte, in her last 50 meters. "It just doesn't happen," Leonard said.

What's more, Ye's times have improved over a rather short period. And she "looks like superwoman," Leonard added. Such cheating would be nothing new: Irish swimmer Michelle Smith tested positive after the 1996 Games, and past Chinese Olympic hopefuls have too. Ye's blood samples will be available for testing for 8 years, giving science a chance to catch up with any possible doping. As for Ye, she said Team China has kept "very firmly to the anti-doping policies, so there is absolutely no problem." (More 2012 London Olympics stories.)