At the Olympic Aquatics Centre, swimmers from developing countries populate many early heats and fans are applauding them all.

Jennet Saryyeva, an 18-year-old from Turkmenistan, took third in the first heat of the women's 400-meter freestyle Sunday at 5 minutes, 40.29 seconds, well behind the other two swimmers.

By comparison, leading qualifier Camille Muffat of France touched in at 4:03.29.

Still, Saryyeva says her time was a personal and national record, and she only began training for the event last year.

Saryyeva said Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia that borders Afghanistan and the Caspian Sea, has about 10 professional swimmers in all.

"Here it's just me and one boy and my coach," she said.

— Beth Harris — Twitter http://twitter.com/bethharrisap

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