Chinese star Sun is a mysterious no-show for 1,500 freestyle
KAZAN, Russia — No sooner had Sun Yang returned to the top of the podium with two victories at the world swimming championships than the Chinese star was enveloped in mystery.
Sun failed to show up for the 1,500-meter freestyle final Sunday night, creating chaos in the call room minutes before the race in which he was the two-time defending champion.
Sun, 23, later said a heart problem caused him to be absent.
Sun couldn’t be found by the judges, and Lane 3 remained empty while Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy won.
“Today I came here and during the warm-up in the pool, I feel uncomfortable in the heart so I have to give up competition,” Sun said through a translator at a news conference after the races. “I feel sorry because of that.”
Earlier, FINA spokesman Pedro Adrega said Chinese team officials told him Sun felt a “chest sensation” during warm-ups.
“As there was not enough time to evaluate the situation or to check his medical condition, they decided to withdraw,” he said.
Sun said he decided on his own not to swim the 1,500. He said he would return home Monday to arrange a medical exam of his heart.
Sun’s rivals were shocked by the strange turn of events.
“The judges were going crazy yelling, ‘Where’s Sun Yang? Where’s Sun Yang?’ ” Paltrinieri said. “It was insane.”
Sun appeared at the end of the night to receive the best male swimmer award. He won the 400 and 800 freestyles in Kazan and was a strong favorite in the 1,500, which he won at the London Olympics. Sun finished second in the 200 free.
Sun was back at the biggest meet before next year’s Olympics after serving a three-month doping suspension last year for a banned stimulant. At the time, he said the positive test was caused by an ingredient in medication he was taking for a heart condition and he wasn’t aware it was banned.
His punishment began immediately after he tested positive in May. But Chinese officials kept the test quiet for six months and FINA waited until late November to post the sanction on its website.
Paltrinieri took the lead from Canada’s Ryan Cochrane at 500 meters and controlled the pace the rest of the way, touching in 14 minutes, 39.67 seconds. He finished second to Sun in the 800 and their rematch was highly anticipated.
Sun’s absence threw off the Italian’s race strategy.
“I’ve been training for two years on how to beat him, right down to the smallest details,” Paltrinieri said. “I had to change everything.”
Connor Jaeger of the United States finished second in 14:41.20. Cochrane, who was under world-record pace through 400 meters, was third in 14:51.08.
The United States received the best team trophy for the eight-day meet, winning 18 medals, including seven golds.