Feature: Off Olympic podium, Chinese swimmer Wang returns to glory at Hangzhou Asiad

Wang Shun reacts after the men's 4x200m freestyle relay swimming final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province on Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Olympic champion Wang Shun honored his promise to make China's national anthem resonate at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

HANGZHOU, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Every time Wang Shun comes out of the pool after a race, he makes a low bow to the cheering spectators.

China's Olympic swimming champion Wang has already bagged three gold medals, a silver and a bronze at the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games as of Wednesday.

Swimming in his home province of Zhejiang, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist said he was grateful to people of his hometown for their applause and support, which has brought him great motivation.

Wang celebrates after winning men's 200m individual medley at the Tokyo Olympic Games, July 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

After standing atop the podium at Tokyo in 2021, Wang lost a bit of direction and pleasure from swimming, and he disappointed at the recent Fukuoka World Championships.

After the worlds, he and his coaching team tried to develop some new training methods to help him quickly improve his form before the Asiad.

"I was even on the verge of breakdown late at night, especially when the training was not going well," said the star swimmer.

Going through the ups and downs of the past year, Wang was eager to achieve good results at home before the Games.

During the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, Wang and a digital torchbearer jointly lit the cauldron.

Wang and a digital torchbearer jointly light the cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games, Sept. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhu Zheng)

The next day, the 29-year-old set a new Asian record of one minute and 54.62 seconds in the men's 200m individual medley to claim the title, and started to sweep the medals in the men's 400m individual medley and relays.

"I am satisfied with my performance today, which is the reward of my hard training this year," Wang said after his notable victory on the first day of the meet.

Making his fourth appearance at an Asian Games, the veteran swimmer clearly remembered his Asiad debut at Guangzhou 2010.

"It was the first time I stood on the stage of the Asian Games, competing with Asian rivals. That moment still makes me excited," said the shining star at the Hangzhou Asiad.

Discussing his age, the three-time Olympian and the oldest of China's swimming team did not avert his eyes.

Wang responded that athletes of each age group have different advantages. "For me, I may have a more profound understanding of competitions and the daily training," Wang said.

After setting the new Asian Games mark in the men's 200m individual medley, the standout swimmer proudly wrote on social media that he has lived up to his promise of making the national anthem resonate in the stadium.

"Compared with a gold medal, I am happier to be able to shatter my own Asian record! The age of 29 is just a number," Wang replied to critics who doubted before the Games whether he could return to the top. ■