China’s Sun Yang wins 400m title hours after tearful interview, ‘will go all out’ for LA 2028
- Chinese social media users rush to support disgraced Olympian after first competitive race since 4-year drugs ban ended
Disgraced swimmer Sun Yang broke down in tears after he won his heat in men’s 400 metres freestyle at the National Summer Swimming Championships on Sunday, his first competitive race since returning from a four-year drugs ban.
But there were smiles all around hours later, when the 32-year-old Olympian, who is representing his home Zhejiang province at the event, won the final.
Sun, who harbours a dream of competing at the Los Angeles Games in 2028, began his road to redemption in the heats with a time of 3 minutes and 54.98 seconds, almost two seconds faster than Chen Mengxiang’s 3:56.66. Qiu Ziao was third in 3:56.93.
After a significant time away from the sport, it was no surprise that Sun’s time was some 13.2 seconds slower than the 3:41.78 Lukas Martens put up to win gold at the Paris Olympics.
“[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,” Sun said, before crying in front of journalists.
On Saturday, when asked by a journalist at Chinese state media broadcaster CCTV if he would try and qualify for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Sun did not rule it out.
