At the 2013 World Championships, we saw China’s World Record holder Sun Yang swim a lighter schedule of just the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyles individually after questions arose over how well-conditioned he was following a bit of a post-Olympic break. That meant no individual 200 free, where he won Olympic silver in 2012.
He clearly seemed in somewhat less shape than he had been in London, but his out of shape still dominated everybody else’s best, as he swept the titles in the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyles in Barcelona.
With the importance placed on the Chinese National Games (many in the Chinese swimming community have told us that they suspect there are swimmers who saved their tapers for this meet, and it is considered as the top sporting event shy of the Olympics), Sun won’t be holding back as he represents his native Zhejang region. Athletes compete for regions based on major metropolises, including a separate People’s Liberation Army team.
Athletes represent where their training base is, which is usually, but not always, where they were born and raised. Sun and Ye Shiwen both represent the powerhouse Zhejang reason, as do Fu Yuanhui, Wu Peng, Wang Shun, Xu Jiayu, and others.
Full results for the meet will be available here.
Sun will swim the 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, and 1500 free individually, and will be a favorite in all of them. Meanwhile, his fellow Chinese World Record holder Shiwen Ye will swim the 200 back, the 200 IM, and the 400 IM.
These are the only entries that have been widely reported so far.
The full Games officially start on August 31st, though some competitions (including diving) have already begun Thursday. The pool swimming portion will follow the Olympic schedule and run from Wednesday, September 4th through Wednesday, September 11th. 10km open water races will be held on September 2nd and 3rd.
It’ll be VERY interesting to see what Sun puts up in the 100 and 200 free. The 100 free I guess would be more for fun since I doubt he’d ever swim it individually at a larger meet, and since the 4×100 is the same day as the 400, I doubt he would be on that relay. And the 200 I can’t wait for after his 1:43.16 anchor. We’ll have to wair and see!
I think is good for him, starting from next year to 2016, to focus just on Olympic program, so that 200,400,1500 and 4X200…I’d like to watch him in 200FR in Kazan after scratching this event both in Shanghai and Barcelona, think he can go 1:44 low
Sun, judging from that 1:43 low split (albeit anchor leg and swimming from behind), has that potential. However, I think swimming the 400 will impede on him swimming that fast of a time. Unless he drops the 400 (which he obviously shouldn’t do), Agnel is alone in that event for now.
I agree.
Yang was able to swim that 1:43 split because did not have to swim 3 rounds of 200 free in the previous days.
Swimming 400 and then two rounds of 200 will affect his 200 speed I’m sure.
There is also some fine prize money in this meet which adds to it’s importance.
Sun – Spend your money on a makeover next time at the Gold Coast. Some dental bracing & acne treatments would go a long way to dispelling HGH associations.
And In a year or two you will be able to wear the latest dental fashion – golden grilles.
My friends I suspect you are confusing these chinese games with the asian games. Park as a korean can not swim the chinese games
I am sure Philip Johnson knows the difference, as obviously I am as well (being asian, living in asian country).
By listing Park’s achievement in 2010 asian games, Philip highlighted Park’s amazing feat at a more grand scale.
Curious to see if he can match or better Park’s performance in 2010, who won gold in the 100-400, silver in the 1500 and picked up some relay medals.
I would bet on sweeping 200 to 1500.. but there is a chinese guy swimming 48 mid already there isn´t? don´t think Sun can match that..
This year Zetao Ning swam 48.60 and Lu Zhiwu 48.86
Lu has been quite consistently at sub 49 for the past few years too.
Park did it in such fast times too:
48.70, 1:44.80, 3:41.53 and 15:01.72!
one of the greatest performances by an Asian swimmer ever!
Awesome to see Sun swimming the 100m freestyle! I’m interested to see how a distance swimmer like Sun can do in such a short race!