Chinese swimmer Sun Yang celebrated in tears after returning from a four-year doping ban to win the men’s 400 metres freestyle title at the National Summer Swimming Championships in Hefei.
Sun, 32, was banned from competing for four years and three months for a dope test violation in 2018 in which he and members of his entourage smashed vials containing blood samples.
The ban, reduced from the original eight years on appeal, ended on May 28. Sun missed national trials for the Paris Games because of the suspension.
On Sunday, the triple Olympic champion, representing Zhejiang province, won his race in a time of three minutes and 49.58 seconds.
“I could have done better,” a tearful Yang told local media after the final. “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.”
He later added that he would go “all out” to compete for a spot in the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
Sun, who also served a three-month suspension in 2014 for taking trimetazidine (TMZ), which he said was to treat a heart condition, won Olympic gold in the 400m and 1,500m freestyle at London 2012 and took the 200m title at the Rio Games four years later.
Doping allegations surrounding China’s swimming team overshadowed events in the pool at the Paris Olympics, bringing the sport’s integrity into disrepute.
China claimed reports of doping among 23 swimmers who tested positive before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 were the result of food contamination – an explanation accepted by the World Anti Doping Agency (Wada).
Chinese swimmers shrugged off the doping controversy, stressing that they have been subjected to a rigorous testing regime in the build-up to and during the Paris Games.
The country’s swimming team were under intense scrutiny in the French capital as they secured 12 medals, including two golds.
A leading Australian swimming coach led criticism of Pan Zhanle’s stunning 100m freestyle world record after saying the Chinese swimmer’s performance in the pool was “not humanly possible”.
Brett Hawke was at the forefront of international disbelief in some quarters after the 19-year-old stormed to gold in 46.40 seconds to beat nearest rival Kyle Chalmers by more than a second.
Pan destroyed a high-class field to shave almost half a second off his own world record in the biggest winning margin in the men’s 100m freestyle since American Johnny Weissmuller in 1928.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
