GWANGJU, BALIPOST.com – There were no tears from Sun Yang on Monday, just ruthless efficiency as the Chinese giant began the defence of his 200 metres freestyle world title with a clinical swim in the heats.
Operating on very little sleep, the triple Olympic champion clocked 1 min 46.22sec the morning after winning an emotionally draining battle with Australian rival Mack Horton to capture a record fourth world championship gold in the 400m free.
American Katie Ledecky returned to the pool looking to exorcise the ghosts of her stunning defeat by Aussie teenager Ariarne Titmus on the first day of the swimming competition in Gwangju, posting the fastest qualifying mark in the women’s 1,500m freestyle.
Sun, whose 400m victory was his 10th world title, is competing under a doping cloud in South Korea after being accused by independent FINA testers of smashing blood samples with a hammer.
But he has shown no signs of stress, entering the pool deck to ear-piercing screams from his legion of adoring female fans waving Chinese flags and chanting their hero’s name.
“I ate dinner at midnight last night and went to bed at two,” Sun told reporters.
“I’m happy with my heat time after a close battle in the 400m free. The 200m is a bit of a lottery — lots of people have a chance to win gold, but I’ll give everything.”
His time was pipped by Briton James Guy’s 1:46.18 in the final heat, but the controversial Sun — the reigning Olympic champion in the 200m free — remains the strong favourite to retain his world title. (AFP)
