Sun Yang wins silver at National Spring Swimming Championships

Chinese veteran swimmer Sun Yang secured a silver medal in the men's 400-meter freestyle at the National Spring Swimming Championships on Wednesday.

Despite being the oldest competitor at 33, Sun showcased his resilience and determination, clocking in three minutes 47.94 seconds, just behind gold medalist Liu Peixin, who finished in 3:46.80.

Sun, who was third after the first 200m, rallied in the second half of the race to claim the silver. His time was a full second faster than his performance last year. "This progress shows that I am better than the Sun Yang of last year, and I have achieved my goal," he said after the race.

Reflecting on his preparation, Sun revealed the difficulty of his winter training, particularly his return to high-altitude training after a five-year hiatus. "It was very challenging and painful," he admitted. "I didn't have time for adjustments or breaks. I used competitions as part of my training, and I'm very satisfied with my performance today."

The veteran swimmer said he had to undergo two days of knee injections before the competition to manage pain. "I had injections in five points on my knee just to get through the race," he said. "At this age, injuries are inevitable, but I have to persevere. As someone who has stayed in the sport for so long, I want to show young athletes that they can also persist until my age. Chinese swimming needs more athletes who can stay committed."

In other events on Wednesday, Sun Jiajun won the men's 50m breaststroke in 26.85, while Yu Yiting triumphed in the women's 50m butterfly with 25.73. Jiang Chenglin topped the men's 100m backstroke, and Zhu Leiju claimed victory in the women's 200m breaststroke.