I am the one and only: Sun Yang hails himself swimming’s freestyle king after four golds and a bronze at China selection meet

Sun Yang has boasted he is the only swimmer in the world capable of racing all freestyle distances at a single event, with the controversial star taking four gold medals and one bronze at the All China Champions Meet in Taiyuan, Shanxi.

The multi-Olympic champion could not hold back his tears when he wrapped up the five-day meet with his victory in the men’s 1,500 metres, a distance in which he won a gold medal and set a world record at the 2012 London Olympics.

The 26-year-old had already won the 200m, 400m and 800m at Taiyuan, which acted as a selection meet for this summer’s Asian Games, while taking bronze in the 100m.

“No one has done this like me, competing in all freestyle events, either in a home event or an international competition,” said Sun after that third-placed finish. “It’s already a mission completed with or without all five gold medals.”

And China’s top swimmer was even happier with his performance given Taiyuan is located at a high altitude of 1,000 metres.