Sun Yang Returns to Racing at Chinese Summer Championships
One of the most controversial swimmers of the 21st century swam his first official race in more than four years Sunday in Hefei, China, as Sun Yang made his return to competition following a four-year suspension. Sun Yang competed in the 400 freestyle against domestic competition, albeit with swimmers who competed at the Paris Olympics missing, and he emerged victorious with a time of 3:49.58.
Sun had previously been banished from the sport after failing to cooperate with anti-doping testers who visited his home in 2018. In that incident, a member of Sun’s entourage smashed a vial of his blood with a hammer to prevent testers from departing with the sample. The testing crew also reported acts of aggression and intimidation by Sun and his team, who refused to certify the samples of blood and urine while claiming the testers lacked the proper credentials.
Sun was originally banned for eight years in February 2020, but the sanction was reduced to four years on appeal, with the final decision announced just a month before the start of the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Sun had previously been suspended for three months in 2014 after testing positive for Trimetazidine (TMZ).
The reduced ban did expire prior to the Paris Olympics, and Sun had originally indicated his intentions to swim in Paris, but he was unable to qualify to represent China when the country held its selection meet in April, prior to his eligibility beginning in May. Still, Sun maintained that he planned a comeback to the sport regardless of the circumstances surrounding qualification.
After swimming his heats first race in his comeback, his initial time of 3:54.98 second-best in the morning, Sun broke down in tears while speaking with reporters, according to South China Morning Post. Per the report, Sun said, “[Getting back to this point] really is because of the reliance and support from my family, that’s what was able to make me preserve to today.”
Although Sun did improve in the final, he swam nowhere near his best time of 3:40.14 that he swam on the way to Olympic gold 12 years ago in London, a result which made him China’s first-ever Olympic champion in men’s swimming. Sun went on to win gold in the 1500 free, silver in the 200 free and a relay bronze in London before topping the 200 free and taking second in the 400 free four years later. He has also captured 11 individual world titles
Sun told China Daily after his finals race, “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.”
Even though Sun is 32, he insisted prior to the meet that he intends to compete for a spot at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. “If there is an opportunity, I will go all out to get it,” Sun said, according to Chinese state media.
