Sun turns on the speed to win gold in 800m
Print Edition
Sun Yang of China broke down in tears after claiming the second of a possible three distance golds with victory in the 800m freestyle while American teenager Missy Franklin captured her third title of the World Swimming Championships on Wednesday in Barcelona.
Olympic champion over 400m and 1,500m in London last year, Sun followed up Sunday’s world 400m title with an imperious performance at the hilltop Palau Sant Jordi, leading from the start and pulling inexorably away in the final 150 meters.
The giant, long-stroking 22-year-old, who was unable to control his emotions during the medal ceremony, touched in a time of seven minutes 41.36 seconds with American Michael McBroom taking silver in 7:43.60 and Ryan Cochrane of Canada bronze in 7:43.70.
“Before the race I felt huge pressure,” said Sun, who beat his chest as he saluted his supporters in the crowd after winning.
“When I touched first I was relieved and, yes, a bit overexcited,” he added. “The time was in the range I expected so I am totally satisfied.”
Sun is the second man only after Australian Grant Hackett to win world titles at 400m, 800m, a non-Olympic distance, and 1,500m.
While his triumphs have come at two different championships — Sun won the 800m and 1,500m in Shanghai two years ago and was second in the 400m — he remains on course to match Hackett’s three golds from the 2005 edition in Montreal.
The 1,500m freestyle final is on Sunday, the final day of the championships.
Also, Olympic champion Chad le Clos won the 200m butterfly gold, while Cameron Van Der Burgh edged the 50m breaststroke, a non-Olympic event, by one hundredth of a second from Christian Sprenger of Australia.
It was the first time South Africa has won two golds at the world championships in one day.
“I’m very happy I won this gold. I was a bit out of shape... but I just wanted to win tonight and I’ve got the win so I’m very happy,” le Clos said.
Pawel Korzeniowski of Poland took the silver and Wu Peng of China won the bronze.
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