RIZHAO, China, September 22. WITH the Chinese Long Course Nationals in full swing in Rizhao this week, Olympic silver medalist Zhang Lin's absence has definitely been noticed. According to reports out of China, Zhang has moved his training location to the Trojan Swim Club under Dave Salo.
Zhang is scheduled to train under Salo for 52 days in Los Angeles after previously training with Grant Hackett's coach Denis Cotterell three previous times between the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai.
Zhang currently holds the world record in the men's 800 freestyle with a 7:32.12 in long course competition, to win the event at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. He also took bronze in the 400 free in Rome, and helped China to bronze in the 800 free relay in Shanghai this past summer.
His efforts in 2009 earned him Swimming World's Pacific Rim Male Swimmer of the Year award, breaking a potential four-year streak by Japan's Kosuke Kitajima.