Uncertainty surrounds Sun as pool events loom
Source: AFP |
July 25, 2013, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A ROW involving China's swimming superstar Sun Yang and an air hostess has given the Chinese a turbulent run-up to the world championships in Barcelona.
The swimming section of the World Swimming Championships starts on Sunday with Sun spearheading China's bid to dethrone the USA's swimming supremacy at the top of the medals table.
Sun, 21, led his country to its best-ever Olympic performance in London last year, snaring two gold medals and smashing his own 1500m freestyle world record as China finished with five titles.
Along with teen phenom Ye Shiwen, beset by doping innuendo as she claimed two individual medley golds, China cemented its new position as the world's number two team behind America.
But a falling-out between Sun and his coach over his love affair with a stewardess has rocked preparations for Barcelona.
Sun, the distance specialist from Zhejiang, rejected coach Zhu Zhigen's demand that he stop seeing his girlfriend and concentrate on his swimming instead.
Despite a public show of reconciliation with Zhu, Sun has been training in Hong Kong under former Chinese head coach Zhang Yadong, and it is unclear which events he will contest this month.
"Athletes want to get good results, and to do this you need systematic and scientific training without outside interference," Sun said on his microblog.
Chinese officials have down played Sun's chances in Barcelona.
"We are concerned that he is not able to perform well as he has lacked systematic training the past six months," Chinese swimming's deputy head Shang Xiutang told domestic media.
The swimming section of the World Swimming Championships starts on Sunday with Sun spearheading China's bid to dethrone the USA's swimming supremacy at the top of the medals table.
Sun, 21, led his country to its best-ever Olympic performance in London last year, snaring two gold medals and smashing his own 1500m freestyle world record as China finished with five titles.
Along with teen phenom Ye Shiwen, beset by doping innuendo as she claimed two individual medley golds, China cemented its new position as the world's number two team behind America.
But a falling-out between Sun and his coach over his love affair with a stewardess has rocked preparations for Barcelona.
Sun, the distance specialist from Zhejiang, rejected coach Zhu Zhigen's demand that he stop seeing his girlfriend and concentrate on his swimming instead.
Despite a public show of reconciliation with Zhu, Sun has been training in Hong Kong under former Chinese head coach Zhang Yadong, and it is unclear which events he will contest this month.
"Athletes want to get good results, and to do this you need systematic and scientific training without outside interference," Sun said on his microblog.
Chinese officials have down played Sun's chances in Barcelona.
"We are concerned that he is not able to perform well as he has lacked systematic training the past six months," Chinese swimming's deputy head Shang Xiutang told domestic media.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
