Guess who's back? 🏊♂️ China's swimming superstar Sun Yang just made a splashy return to the pool, clinching the men's 400-meter freestyle title at the 2024 National Summer Swimming Championships in Hefei, eastern China's Anhui Province.
On Sunday, the three-time Olympic gold medalist showed he's still got it, leading the race from the first 200 meters and touching the wall at 3 minutes, 49.58 seconds. Not bad for a comeback, right?
“I could have done better,” Sun modestly said after the race. “Four years away from competition, and without intensive training, I do feel rusty in controlling the tempo. I need more competitions. But it's a good start for my comeback, and I'm happy with this result.”
He also gave a shoutout to his family for their support during his hiatus. (Family goals, anyone? ❤️)
Sun, now 32, first made waves back in London 2012, becoming China's first-ever Olympic champion in men's swimming by snagging gold in both the 400m and 1,500m freestyles. He didn't stop there—at Rio 2016, he nabbed the 200m freestyle gold, making history as the first male swimmer to collect Olympic golds in the 200m, 400m, and 1,500m freestyles.
But in June 2021, things took a detour when the Court of Arbitration for Sport handed him a 51-month suspension over anti-doping rule violations dating back to 2018. Ouch. 😬
Fast forward to now, and Sun is gearing up for more action. “I plan to compete in more events and hope to have a better performance next year,” he said. Sounds like he's not slowing down anytime soon!
The National Summer Swimming Championships, running from August 25-28, is a big deal in China—just a notch below the National Swimming Championships. With 499 athletes from 24 teams nationwide, it's clear that the competition is heating up! 🔥
Sun's comeback is definitely making waves, and we're here for it! 🌊 Keep an eye out for more splashes from this swimming legend.
Reference(s):
Chinese swimmer Sun Yang wins first title after return from suspension
cgtn.com
