Chinese swimming star Sun Yang, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, roared back into the spotlight this weekend by winning the men's 400-meter freestyle title at China's National Summer Swimming Championships in Hefei! 🎉
The 32-year-old, competing for Zhejiang Province, clocked in at 3:49.58 and dominated the race from start to finish—proving he's still got serious game after a 51-month suspension. 🏅
🌊 \"I could have done better,\" Sun told reporters post-race. \"Four years away? I'm rusty, but this is a solid start. Let’s level up next year!\" He also thanked his family for their \"rock-solid support\" during his hiatus.
📜 Backstory time: Sun made history as China’s first male Olympic swimming champ at London 2012 (shoutout to his 400m/1500m double gold!). He then snagged 200m gold in Rio, becoming the ONLY male swimmer ever to win Olympic titles in all three freestyle distances. 🌟
His suspension, imposed in 2021 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport over a 2018 doping control dispute, ended earlier this year. Now, Sun’s comeback trail includes more competitions—and eyes on Paris 2024? 👀
The Hefei event, running through August 28, features 499 athletes from 24 teams nationwide. 🔥 Let the races begin!
