The Chinese mainland's three-time Olympic gold medalist Sun Yang clinched the men's 400-meter freestyle title on Sunday at the 2024 National Summer Swimming Championships in Hefei, Anhui Province. Representing Zhejiang Province, Sun topped the podium with a time of three minutes and 49.58 seconds, demonstrating his prowess by leading the race from the first 200 meters.
Reflecting on his performance, the 32-year-old swimmer stated, \"I could have done better. Four years away from competition, and without intensive training, I do feel rusty in controlling the tempo and I need more competitions. But it's a good start for my comeback and I'm happy with this result.\" Sun expressed his intention to participate in more events and aims to achieve better performances next year, while also thanking his family for their unwavering support.
Born in December 1991 in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, Sun Yang made history as China's first-ever Olympic champion in men's swimming at the London 2012 Games, where he secured gold medals in both the 400m and 1,500m freestyles. He continued his success at Rio 2016, winning the men's 200m freestyle and becoming the first male swimmer to collect Olympic golds in the 200m, 400m, and 1,500m freestyles.
However, Sun's career has not been without controversy. In June 2021, a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) panel ruled that Sun had committed anti-doping rule violations during an unsuccessful attempt to collect blood and urine samples from him at his residence in September 2018. The panel imposed a period of ineligibility lasting four years and three months, commencing on February 28, 2020.
The National Summer Swimming Championships, held from August 25-28, is classified as a Class B national event in China, ranking second in level and prestige only to the National Swimming Championships. The competition attracted 499 athletes from 24 teams nationwide, showcasing the depth of talent in the Chinese swimming community.
Reference(s):
Chinese swimmer Sun Yang wins first title after return from suspension
cgtn.com
