Sun wins 1,500 to complete golden treble
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E-mail China.org.cn, August 5, 2013
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China’s Sun Yang reacts after winning the gold medal in the men’s 1,500m freestyle final at the World Swimming Championships in Barcelona, Spain, yesterday. |
China's Sun Yang won a second consecutive world championship gold in the men’s 1,500 meters freestyle to complete a rare treble of distance titles yesterday.
The Olympic champion and world record holder clocked a time of 14 minutes 41.15 seconds at the hilltop pool in Barcelona, matching American teenager Katie Ledecky in winning 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle titles in the Catalan capital.
Dominating the longest event of the programme since 2011, Sun was the predictable winner of the 1500m free. Leaving most of the initiative to Ryan Cochrane from Canada, Sun managed his effort until the 1400m-mark and then applied some more vigour to clinch the gold.
The silver went precisely to Cochrane (14:42.48), also second at the Games, while Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) was the bronze medallist in 14:45.37.
"I felt very tired in this race. I give my thanks to Cochrane for leading the race because without him, the result would not be as good as this one," said the 22-year-old, who is only the second man to achieve the feat at a world championships after Australian Grant Hackett at the 2005 edition in Montreal.
"I need to regulate myself. Since others are improving all the time, I need to improve as well."
Chinese teenager Ye Shiwen, who tried to make up for the disappointment of missing out on a medal over 200m individual medley, fared worse in the 400 IM. The 17-year-old clocked 4:38.51 for seventh place, way outside the 4:28.43 world mark she set in London.
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