Just before the start of the men's 400-meter freestyle, the sudden silence in the venue allowed Sun Yang to resonate with the audience for the first time in his career. "When the breathing stopped, it felt like thousands of eyes were watching me. There was this invisible interaction in the air, a feeling I had never experienced before, not even at the Olympics."
Upon touching the wall, turning around, and looking back, the screen displayed a time of 3:49.58—marking Sun Yang's first victory since his comeback. He nodded heavily three times in the pool.
During the award ceremony, Sun Yang bowed early, waiting for the gold medal that belonged to him, marking 1,680 days since his last competition. In an exclusive interview, Sun Yang said, "The lows and darkness I experienced over the past four years felt worth it at that moment."
"Familiar Yet Strange"
After a 1,680-day absence from official competitions, Sun Yang reflected, "Returning to the arena felt both familiar and strange."
Sun Yang recalled the unfamiliarity he felt during check-in as the excitement of winning subsided.
After completing his warm-up for the preliminaries, he rushed to change into his swim trunks with help from others due to inadequate time.
"I couldn't settle my mindset; I was anxious and out of breath going into the race. For a veteran athlete, it was quite embarrassing."
Before the race began, over 1 million people had made online reservations on the Migu video platform. Many spectators waited online for over an hour just for Sun Yang. Tickets originally priced at 200 RMB were resold for as much as 1,000 RMB. Every detail of Sun Yang's comeback—from his entrance to the competition to his victory—made headlines on social media.
The immense attention surrounding his return also made Sun Yang feel nervous and anxious. He kept asking himself, "What if I don't swim well?"
Sun disconnected the internet on his phone at the start of the competition to keep his mind clear, using it only to listen to music for relaxation. "It wasn't until I touched the wall in the finals and saw my time that I completely let go of my pressure."
"The Challenger"
Sun Yang expressed satisfaction with his time of 3:49.58, even though it was 4.6 seconds slower than his time four years ago.
Before the race, he caught a cold and was coughing constantly, and muscle soreness from the illness left him uncertain about his condition. "Before the race, I told my team I didn't know if my muscles could handle it today, but they encouraged me that I could."
Originally, Sun Yang planned to return to the competition next year, but two weeks before the event, he decided to participate in the National Summer Swimming Championships. "I wanted to adapt to the rhythm and feel of competition early so I wouldn't have to find my form after winter training."
With less than two weeks of formal preparation, Sun Yang chose to enter the men's 400-meter freestyle.
The men's 400-meter freestyle is one of Sun Yang's most familiar events, in which he has achieved numerous accolades: one Olympic gold medal, four consecutive world championships, and two consecutive Asian Games titles. The Olympic record he set in 2012 still stands unbroken.
"I could have chosen the 50 or 100 meters, which would have been less pressure and quicker to finish, but I didn't want to opt for the easier events. I chose the 400 meters to challenge myself because it's a middle-distance event that is very difficult; it requires both aerobic capacity and speed."
For Sun Yang, who had not competed for over four years, the 400-meter freestyle was a way to increase the difficulty and challenge himself.
"I believe simple tasks are for those who are comfortable; difficult tasks are for those who seek challenges. I see myself as always in a challenger state, taking on the impossible or things others can't achieve."
Challenge has been a theme throughout Sun Yang's past four and a half years—without a coach, he had to create his own training plan; he paid out of pocket for massage, rehabilitation, and treatment; the numerous patches on his body caused allergic reactions; and he couldn't take medication when sick due to doping tests.
Beyond these challenges, he also had to combat loneliness.
"You have to swim thousands or tens of thousands of meters alone without training with others, which amplifies that loneliness and leads to many negative emotions. During these four years, I felt exhausted, but even when I verbally expressed my fatigue, I still maintained the quality and quantity of my training."
"I Have Never Left The Pool"
During his suspension, Sun Yang's life remained busy: pursuing a doctorate at Shanghai University of Sport, studying finance at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, experiencing live-streaming sales, and marrying rhythmic gymnast Zhang Doudou. He gradually discovered values in life beyond swimming.
"Swimming will not be the only thing in my life because I have family, work, and studies—these are all responsibilities I need to care for as a family member. I will separate life from competition, which is also a way to relieve pressure and find liberation."
However, the identity Sun Yang cherishes most deep down is that of a swimmer.
During his time away from competition, he said he "still lived between home and the training center." He spent most of his time in the pool and gym in his vlogs, and even during his wedding photoshoot in Thailand, he found opportunities to swim. Instead of relaxing the night after the competition, he treated himself until 2 a.m.
Sun Yang said, "I have never left the pool, nor has my affection for it diminished."
The reason is simple: "I am a swimmer, and my identity as a swimmer makes people recognize me. Whatever I do, I must see it through to the end. I started in the pool, and no matter where I go, I must finish in the pool, not on land."
Sun Yang's determination to stay in the pool is supported by his family.
On the day of the competition, his wife, Zhang Doudou, secretly bought tickets to cheer for him. After the race, Sun Yang leaned against the wall when she presented him with flowers, unable to hold back his tears.
Returning to the arena isn't just about fulfilling his own aspirations; Sun Yang also hopes to repay the warm expectations of others: "The promises to my family and fans brought me back to the pool and the competition. I don't want their waiting to end in disappointment or for my words to remain unfulfilled. If I say I will do something and don't deliver, I would feel very sorry for them."
"Rebirth" And "Return"
On the day of his comeback, many of Sun Yang's fans were present, including his opponents, who were also fans.
During the final award ceremony, Xu Haibo, who won second place, prepared his phone early to take a photo with Sun Yang. After the ceremony, Xu quickly registered on Douyin and Weibo, changing his profile picture to their photo together and captioning it, "Childhood dreams fulfilled—competing alongside my idol today."
Sun Yang hopes to set an example for younger athletes as the oldest competitor in Chinese swimming: "Swimming is a very lonely sport; they must have enough love for it, enough perseverance, and overcome the loneliness to continue bravely."
Sun Yang described his comeback journey as one of "rebirth" and "return": "Having experienced darkness and lows, I have been reborn and have stood up again. Courageously standing on the field is the best return."
After completing his comeback debut, Sun Yang plans to participate in every possible competition, conditions permitting: "This gold medal is a great start and encouragement. I will take this competition as a starting point, bringing this strength into my daily life, training, and studies, motivating me to move forward bravely. In this process, there will be many other competitions for me to feel the competition, familiarize myself with the arena, and regain the sensation of competing."
Sun Yang also expressed great anticipation for next year's National Games: "With over a year until the National Games, I have plenty of time to prepare. I approach it with the mindset of returning to the stage or as a newcomer challenging the National Games."
"I want to do better, so I must take it step by step. Since I chose to return and start anew, I need to steadily revisit what I left behind and missed and continue moving forward."
(Interview source from The Paper)
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