Sun Yang breaks oldest world record in swimming

By: ANDREW DAMPF | AP Sports Writer | 07/31/11 1:27 PM

AP PHOTO/EUGENE HOSHIKO

China's Sun Yang raises his national flag to spectators after winning the gold medal in the men's 1,500m Freestyle event at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Shanghai, China, Sunday, July 31, 2011.

The swimming world championships ended with a jolt (震惊) Sunday when emerging Chinese star Sun Yang broke the oldest world record in the sport — Australian great Grant Hackett's 10-year-old mark in the 1,500 meters.

Sun was more than two seconds off Hackett's pace with four laps (一圈) to go in the marathon in the pool, but ignored fatigue and accelerated on the final two laps to finish in 14 minutes, 34.14 seconds, improving on Hackett's mark of 14:34.56 set at the 2001 worlds.

"I was not obsessed with the world record before the final, because I wanted to focus on my plan," Sun said. "My goal is to win the gold."

After the race, Sun was congratulated on weibo — China's version of Twitter — by Liu Xiang, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, a former world record holder in the 110-meter hurdles （跨栏） and a sports hero in China.

"I think Liu Xiang created history in 2004. I watched the games on TV and after he won the gold medal, I was very excited. I thought someday, I will be like him," Sun said.

The crowd at the Oriental Sports Center provided loud support over the final laps, erupting into more joy when the clock stopped four-tenths of a second inside Hackett's mark.

Fifth-place finisher Chad La Tourette of the United States said he was "just happy to be a part of it."

"I knew he was going to be close at the 800," La Tourette said. "That was a fantastic swim and it really just kind of sets himself apart as a once-in-a-generation type swimmer like Grant was."

It was only the second world record to fall in swimming since high-tech bodysuits were banned 19 months ago — and Hackett's record had been the only mark to withstand the record deluge during the polyurethane era of 2008 and 2009.

American all-around star Ryan Lochte set the first world record since the return to textile suits at this meet Tuesday in the 200 individual medley.

The two world records set in this eight-day meet were a sharp contrast from the 43 marks that dropped at the last worlds in Rome two years ago.

The 19-year-old Sun also won the 800 free earlier in the meet, plus a silver in the 400 and a bronze with China's 4x200 relay squad. He is coached by Hackett's former mentor, Dennis Cotterell.

Sun had already come close to Hackett's mark when he won at the Asian Games last November in Guangzhou, China, in 14:35.43.

Ryan Cochrane of Canada wasn't far behind Sun for the first half of the race, then dropped back to finish second in 14:44.46, while Gergo Kis of Hungary took the bronze in 14:45.66.

Upon breaking Hackett's mark, an exhausted Sun celebrated mildly, then bowed to the crowd. Later, nearly all the fans in attendance sang along to the Chinese anthem.

"I still think I have things to improve, especially my mental state," Sun said. "After winning the gold medal, I think more and more people will pay more attention to me. There's no doubt I will feel more pressure but I'm still young and I don't want to be burdened by gigantic pressures. So next year, I will keep a relaxed mindset so I can handle future races."

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/sports/2011/07/sun-yang-breaks-oldest-world-record-swimming-0#ixzz1BdVKGXyo