![image: [ China's Ying Shan: She won her heat in the 100m freestyle ]](/olmedia/45000/images/_46686_dive.jpg)
But disgraced swimmer Yuan Yuan was heading back to China as the first swimming heats began.
Yuan and her coach, Zhou Zhewen, were returning to Beijing not knowing how long they will be banned after being caught carrying illegal performance-enhancing human growth hormones.
Fina, swimming's world governing body, had planned to confirm the length of ban - which will be at least four years - before they flew out of Perth.
But the decision was delayed because the Australian customs department closed down for the weekend.
In the pool, American five-time Olympic gold medalist Jenny Thompson led qualifiers in the women's 100m freestyle.
World record holder Jan Chen, of China, was the fastest in the women's 400m individual medley.
In the men's events, Olympic champion Fred deBurghgraeve of Belgium was the fastest qualifier for the 100m breaststroke.
Michael Klim, the world record holder in the 100m butterfly, was fastest in the 200m freestyle heats.
Thompson's time of 55.12 seconds in the seventh of eight heats was 0.82 seconds faster than the event favourite, China's Ying Sang, who won the eighth heat and qualified fourth fastest.
Four-time Olympic gold medalist Amy Van Dyken, of America, was fifth in the fastest heat but her time of 56.23 was enough to get her in as eighth-fastest qualifier.
Paul Palmer, one of Britain's main medal hopes, qualified for the 200m freestyle final with the sixth fastest qualifying time.
Chinese Swimming Association to punish swimmer, coach
(09 Jan 98 | World)
Chinese swimming team speaks out on drugs controversy
(09 Jan 98 | World)
Drug cheats face four-year ban
(06 Jan 98 | Sport)
Palau's pool debut
(05 Jan 98 | Sport)
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