Sun Yang to swim at Chinese nationals after doping ban
Sun Yang returned to competition last year after serving a four-year ban for smashing vials of blood during a 2018 doping test. (EPA Images pic)
BEIJING : Three-time Olympic champion swimmer Sun Yang will compete at China's national championships this weekend, organisers said, but anti-doping rules mean he cannot qualify for this year's World Championships.
Sun, 33, returned to competition last year after serving a four-year ban for smashing vials of blood during a 2018 doping test, the circumstances of which he still disputes.
He also served a ban in 2014 after testing positive for a banned substance.
China's week-long national championships in Shenzhen are the country's sole qualifying event for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July and August.
Sun will be ineligible because the Chinese Swimming Association (CSA) forbids those who have served a doping ban of 12 months or longer from competing for China.
There are no such restrictions applied to taking part in China's national championships, where swimmers represent their provinces.
The 11-time world champion will face off against Pan Zhanle, the 20-year-old who broke the 100m freestyle record at the Paris Olympics last year on his way to winning gold in that event and the 4x100m medley relay.
Sun will compete in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events, with Pan also entered for the 100m, 200m and 400m.
Sun blazed a trail for Chinese swimming when he became the country's first male Olympic swimming champion, winning the 400m and 1500m freestyle at the 2012 London Games.
As a child, Pan named Sun as his inspiration and the two have never raced each other in competition.
In March, Sun finished second in 400m freestyle at the Chinese National Spring Swimming Championships in 3:47.94s – inside the World Championship qualifying standard.
Pan, who is more successful at shorter freestyle distances, set a 400m personal best of 3:45.58s at last year's national championships.
In the women's events at the China championships will be Zhang Yufei, who was one of the controversial 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine in 2021 but escaped a ban.
She won six medals at the Paris Olympics last year in butterfly, freestyle and relay events.
Witness football history in Malaysia as Manchester United take on the Asean All-Stars – it's the clash you can't afford to miss.
Book your seat now at myticketempire.com/manumy before they're gone!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Ligament injury could sideline Tze Yong for a year
National singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the recent Malaysia Masters. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : National men's singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong could be out of top-level competition for up to a year after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the recent Malaysia Masters. Badminton Association of Malaysia singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen said Tze Yong is scheduled to undergo surgery, but the date had not been set. 'What I understand is that the stronger you can get before the surgery, the better your recovery will be. Everything we're doing right now is to give him the best chance to have a successful surgery,' he told reporters in Bukit Kiara today. He said there were also some bruises and swelling that need to go away. Jonassen said he is confident that Tze Yong will find inspiration from the experience of Spain's former Olympic champion Carolina Marin, who returned strongly after similar injuries, and make a comeback when the time is right. 'I can't speak for him (about the early retirement question), but from my understanding, he is very motivated to come back. As long as there's motivation, we must follow the path. We're taking inspiration from other top athletes who have managed to bounce back. I believe in Tze Yong's ability and determination,' he added. With Tze Yong's absence, Jonassen revealed plans to strengthen the senior men's singles squad by grooming juniors who are transitioning to the senior level this year. 'It's always a tough blow when one of your best players is out due to injury. But we will keep working hard to develop the next generation,' he said. This morning, the Badminton Association of Malaysia confirmed that Tze Yong will undergo knee surgery after scans revealed the ACL injury. 'It's tough to accept, especially after all the hard work leading up to this point, but I know this is just another challenge to overcome. I'm staying positive, following the prehab plan, and I'm fully focused on coming back stronger. I also want to thank all my fans for the kind messages – it really means a lot to me,' said Tze Yong. Tze Yong has suffered various injuries, including a muscle tear in his back followed by a spinal injury since last year and underwent a long period of rest and rehabilitation before returning to action in the Badminton Asia Championship 2025 in Ningbo, China, in April.
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Pearly-Thinaah, Wei Chong-Kai Wun through to Indonesia Open semis
Women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah won the first game against Japan's Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi easily, but were made to sweat in the second. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah cruised into the semi-finals of the Indonesia Open after a convincing win over Japan's Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi in straight games in Jakarta today. The Malaysian world No 4 pair won the first game easily but had to work hard in the second before defeating the fifth ranked Japanese duo 21-6, 21-18 in 36 minutes at Istora Senayan. It was their fourth win over the Japanese duo in six encounters. Pearly-Thinaah will meet Chinese pair Li Yi Jing-Luo Xi Min who beat Japan's Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto in another quarter-final. Men's doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun also booked their place in the semi-finals after defeating India's top pair in straight games. The world No 7 pair, who won the Malaysia Masters last month, defeated Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy 21-19, 21-16 in a match lasting 43 minutes. They will face either compatriots Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani or Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Reza Pahlevi Isfahani from Indonesia next. It was Wei Chong-Kai Wun's first win over the 22nd ranked Indian pair in their five encounters, and their third semi-final appearance this season. They hope to repeat their performance at the Indonesia Masters in Jakarta in January, when they clinched the title. They also won the Malaysia Masters last month after defeating compatriots Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in the final.
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Alcaraz Reaches French Open Final as Musetti Retires
REIGNING champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the French Open final as Lorenzo Musetti retired injured from their last-four tie on Friday, ahead of world number one Jannik Sinner's clash with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. World number two Alcaraz was leading 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 2-0 in the fourth set under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof when Italian Musetti called it quits due to an apparent thigh injury. 'It's never great to go through or win a match when it's like this,' said the 22-year-old, who has never lost a Grand Slam final. 'He's done an incredible clay season. I wish him all the best, a quick recovery and that he'll be back soon.' Alcaraz will aim to win his fifth Grand Slam title against either Sinner or Djokovic, who meet in the second semi-final, on Sunday. He beat Sinner in five sets in last year's semi-finals, but has lost both of his meetings with Djokovic at Roland Garros -- in the 2023 semis and last year's Paris Olympics final. 'It's been three intense weeks and now I have one step to make,' he said. 'I'll give everything on Sunday, I've been playing great tennis this tournament.' Musetti saved break points in the first and seventh games before grabbing a one-set lead with a break in the 10th game. The duo traded breaks early in the second set, before Alcaraz secured a chance to serve it out and level the match. Instead, he was broken to 15 as Musetti produced some inspired shot-making to force a tie-break. The Spaniard raced through the breaker, though, taking his third set point when Musetti fired an attempted passing shot into the net. Alcaraz continued that momentum into the third, striking quickly to open up a 2-0 lead. Musetti could not deal with the power coming from the other side of the net and briefly received treatment on his left thigh. Alcaraz went on to romp through the set, in which eighth seed Musetti mustered only five points, in just 22 minutes. Musetti surrendered another break early in the fourth set as Alcaraz thumped a forehand return into the corner, and the 23-year-old immediately headed to the net to shake his opponent's hand. Djokovic faces Sinner test Djokovic continues his bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title in the second semi-final against Sinner, who is looking to reach his first French Open final. Sinner has stormed into the last four without dropping a set while Djokovic impressed in a four-set win over last year's runner-up Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals. Top seed and three-time Grand Slam winner Sinner takes on the most successful man ever to play the sport in a rivalry that connects one generation to the next. Sinner, 23, and Djokovic, 38, have split their eight meetings, but the Italian has won four of the last five matches to signal the undeniable power shift in men's tennis. Sinner is riding a 19-match winning run at Grand Slams as he chases a third successive major title, looking to go a step further at Roland Garros than last year's semi-final loss to Alcaraz in five sets. '(Djokovic) has shown now in the last period that he is back to the level,' said Sinner. 'It's going to be... very, very difficult. He's such an experienced player, 24 Grand Slams. I think that says everything.' A week before Roland Garros, Djokovic had not won a single match on clay this year. But after capturing his 100th ATP title in Geneva and arriving at the French Open battle-tested, the Serbian has steadily hit his stride. The three-time Roland Garros champion is two wins away from a record-breaking 25th major to move him out in front of Margaret Court, but he is aware of the magnitude of the task ahead. 'Jannik is in tremendous form, and he has been the best player for the last couple of years,' said Djokovic. 'There is no bigger occasion for me... I just hope that I will be able to physically keep up.' Djokovic could become the first man to beat the world's top three players en route to a Grand Slam title after defeating third-ranked Zverev in the last eight.
