Swimming champ Sun Yang aims to shine in Budapest

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‍By CGTN's Yan Yangchen

Three-time Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang will take to the pool at the World Championships in Budapest next week. The 25-year-old arrives in the Hungarian capital having won seven gold medals previously at the Worlds, and swept to victory at the China national championships earlier this year.

As the team's leader and China's most successful swimmer, it’s no surprise he's expected to perform well.

After 14 hours of travel, Sun Yang and coach Zheng Kunliang arrived in Budapest from Guangzhou. The 25-year-old has been busy training in Australia and Hong Kong for nearly three months, and now he feels ready to take on the world once more.

"I've been through very tough training in Hong Kong and Australia, it even brought me to tears last week, as it was really hard to keep going. But I've learnt lots and I am satisfied with my training results," sayid Sun.

Sun Yang in training. /CFP Photo

The Olympian, who won the 400m and 1,500m freestyle events in London, followed by the 200m freestyle in Rio four years later, is still hungry to compete at the highest level and he's confident his level is at its best now.

"I am feeling pretty good now. I can aim for more success after this championship. But now I'm focused on swimming well, and being at my best," said Sun.

Sun will swim in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle in what will be his fourth World Championships, the same schedule as last time in Kazan, where he withdrew from the 1,500m event citing a heart problem. In Budapest, Sun will be the first three-time champion in the 800m freestyle, contributing to the nickname the ''king of freestyle."

Sun is hopeful of more victories at the World Championships, the stage that saw him rise to the occasion in Shanghai 2011, winning the 800m and 1,500m freestyle races. He grabbed three first-placed finishes at Barcelona in 2013 and added five in Kazan two years later. The Budapest World Championships will be a good test for Sun, as he looks to claim his fourth 800m title.

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