Teams from 24 countries, including the United States, Canada and Germany, have decided to set up training camps in Japan ahead of the Beijing Olympics, according to a survey released yesterday.

Concerns about air pollution, food safety and potential political tension in China, as well as access to top training facilities in Japan, were among the reasons listed for selecting Japan in the poll conducted by Kyodo News Agency.

The survey reported that about 150 athletes, coaches and other staff from Sweden will hold camps for 13 Olympic events in the southwestern city of Fukuoka, partly because the city has many facilities and its airport provides direct flights to Beijing.

Kyodo compiled the tally through nationwide survey of Japanese local government offices and sports facilities.

EQUESTRIAN

PETERS EARNS SPOT ON U.S. DRESSAGE SQUAD

Steffen Peters took the national Grand Prix dressage championship and earned one of four Olympic berths yesterday in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., by winning the freestyle event at the Olympic dressage trials at Oaks Blenheim Farms.

Peters, from San Diego, scored 79.5 percent out of a possible 100 percent in the freestyle and won the overall Grand Prix competition with an overall score of 75.863 percent aboard Ravel, a Dutch Warmblood gelding.

Debbie McDonald of Hailey, Idaho, finished second overall by scoring 73.627 percent. Courtney King, of New Milford, Conn., took third with a score of 73.333 percent.

Peters will be competing in his third Olympics and McDonald in her second.

Leslie Morse, of Beverly Hills, Calif., earned an Olympic berth despite finishing sixth with 68.551 percent.

TRACK AND FIELD

CAMPBELL-BROWN HAS TOP TIME IN 200

Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown won the women's 200 meters in a world-leading 21.94 seconds, while Usain Bolt dipped under 20 seconds in the men's race yesterday in Jamaica's Olympic trials in Kingston, Jamaica.

Bolt, the world 100 record-holder at 9.72 seconds, had no problem in taking the men's event in 19.97 seconds.