Sun Yang, the first Chinese Olympic gold medalist in men’s swimming, was born in December 1991 and stands 1.98 meters tall.

On a trip to the Hangzhou Normal University Affiliated Kindergarten to recruit students, Coach Zhu Ying of the Chen Jinglun Sports School immediately noticed Sun Yang’s robust physique. Sun was enrolled at the Sports School in 1997. Because Sun Yang was so big, he encountered numerous difficulties when he first entered the school. Under tough, long-term training with his coach, Sun persevered, progressed, and became an outstanding Chinese swimmer.

Beginning in 2011, Sun Yang broke the men’s 1,500-meter freestyle world record, clearing out a dusty 10-year-old record and closing the gap between China and the world’s swimming powerhouses. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Sun won the first gold medal for Chinese men’s swimming in the 400-meter freestyle, and also took gold in the men’s 1,500-meter freestyle final, breaking his own previous world record. On August 6, 2015, Sun Yang won his third consecutive world title in the men’s 800-meter freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia. On August 9, 2015, Sun was named Best Male Athlete at the same championships. By challenging himself and continually making breakthroughs, Sun Yang has taken China to new heights as a swimming power.

Sun Yang’s achievements can be attributed to his coach’s training program and his own efforts, but he also benefited from Hangzhou’s unique strengths in the sport and excellent atmosphere for swimming.