Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Wang Shun

Wang Shun
汪顺
Wang at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou in September 2023
Personal information
Full nameWang Shun
National teamChina
Born (1994-02-11) 11 February 1994 (age 30)
Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
Height1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) [1]
Weight74 kg (163 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
Strokes
ClubZhejiang
CoachZhu Zhigen

Wang Shun (simplified Chinese: 汪顺; traditional Chinese: 汪順; pinyin: Wāng Shùn; born 11 February 1994) is a Chinese competitive swimmer. A versatile medley swimmer, he became the first Asian male swimmer to win a gold medal at the men's 200m individual medley at the Olympic Games when he came in first at the 2020 Summer Olympics men's 200 metre individual medley. He is also the first swimmer from China to win a gold medal in an Olympic men's medley swimming event.[2] He had earlier won a bronze medal in the same event at the 2016 Summer Olympics.[3]

In addition to his Olympic medals, Wang has also won four bronze medals at the World Championships, two gold and one bronze medals at the World Championships (short course) and eleven medals (five golds, three silvers, three bronzes) at the Asian Games.

Wang is the current national record holder in individual medley swimming for both short and long courses in all distances (100, 200, and 400 metres). He is also the holder of the Asian record for the 200 metres individual medley.

Early and personal life

Wang Shun was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang province of China. He started swimming at the age of 6 and entered the Zhejiang swimming team at the age of 13. Wang is an alumnus of the School of Economics and Management at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He obtained his master degree from the Beijing Sport University and is currently pursuing his doctorate degree from the sports school of Ningbo University.[citation needed]

Career

In November 2010, at age 16, Wang first represented China at the 2010 Asian Games and won a silver medal in the men's 200m individual medley event.

In September 2011, Wang broke the Asian record when he won the men's 400m individual medley at the Chinese National Swimming Championships.

In July 2012, he made his Olympic debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, finishing 22nd in the men's 200m individual medley event.[4] In November 2012, he won gold medals in both the men's 200m and 400m individual medley at the 2012 Asian Swimming Championships.

In April 2013, he set the national record when he won the men's 200m individual medley at the Chinese National Swimming Championships. In September 2013, he broke his own national record when he won the men's 400m individual medley at the 2013 National Games of China.

In August 2015, Wang broke his own national record when he won the bronze medal in the men's 200m individual medley at the 2015 World Championships, achieving a breakthrough for China in its men's medley swimming performance at international competitions.

In August 2016, Wang won his first Olympic medal when he came in third in the men's 200m individual medley at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In December 2016, he won the gold medal in the men's 200m individual medley at the 2016 World Championship (SC), making it the first gold medal China has won in any international men's medley swimming event.

In July 2017, Wang won the bronze medal in the men's 200m individual medley at the 2017 World Championships, making it his second bronze medal at two consecutive World Championships.

In August 2018, Wang won his first Asian Games gold medal when he came in first in the men's 200m individual medley at the 2018 Asian Games.

In July 2021, Wang won his first Olympic gold medal when he came in first at the men's 200m individual medley at the 2020 Summer Olympics, setting a new Asian record with his timing of 1:55.00, making him the second male swimmer from China to win an Olympic gold medal after Sun Yang. This is also the first gold medal won by an Asian male swimmer in the Olympics men's 200m individual medley event, and the first gold medal won by a Chinese male swimmer in any medley swimming event at the Olympics.[5][6]

In September 2021, Wang won 6 gold medals in the 2021 National Games of China, bringing his total gold medal tally in the National Games to 15, setting a new record for an athlete with the most number of gold medals in the history of the National Games of China [7] He also matched his own personal best timing in the 200m freestyle at 1:46.14, last set 10 years ago.

Wang was named "Asian Male Swimmer of the Year" by SwimSwam for the 2021 year.[8]

In March 2023, Wang won 4 gold medals in the 2023 National Spring Championships, recording a new personal best timing of 54.09 in the 100m backstroke event. In May 2023, he bagged 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the 2023 National Swimming Championships and recorded new personal best timings in three events (100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m breaststroke).[9]

In September 2023, Wang was the main torch bearer who lit the cauldron during the 2022 Asian Games opening ceremony in Hangzhou.[10] He went on to win the men's 200m individual medley gold medal in the Games with a time of 1:54.62, breaking his own Asian record and becoming the third best swimmer in history for this event.[11] He also recorded a new personal best timing of 53.87 in the 100m backstroke when he swam the first leg of the men's 4x100m medley relay.

In August 2024, Wang Shun won a bronze medal at the men's 200m individual medley at the 2024 Summer Olympics. He becomes the first Asian swimmer to win individual medals in 3 consecutive Olympics Games.

International championships (50 m)

Meet 200 medley 400 medley 200 freestyle 4x100 freestyle 4x200 freestyle 4×100 medley 4×100 mixed medley
AG 2010 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
WC 2011 18th 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
OG 2012 22nd
AC 2012 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
WC 2013 4th 14th 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
AG 2014 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
WC 2015 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
OG 2016 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 10th
AC 2016 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
WC 2017 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 19th 42nd 11th
AG 2018 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
WC 2019 6th 23rd 6th
OG 2020 1st place, gold medalist(s) 10th 9th
WC 2022 15th 14th 8th
WC 2023 11th DSQ
AG 2022 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
OG 2024 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)

International championships (25 m)

Meet 100 medley 200 medley 400 medley 4×200 freestyle
WC 2016 4th 1st place, gold medalist(s) DNS 6th
WC 2018 6th 1st place, gold medalist(s) DNS 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
WC 2021 5th DNS

Personal bests

As of October 18, 2024[12]

Long course (50-meter pool)

Event Time Meet Date Note(s)
50 m freestyle 23.68 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships May 5, 2023
100 m freestyle 48.81 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships May 5, 2023
200 m freestyle 1:45.71 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships May 4, 2023
1500 m freestyle 14:56.92 2011 Chinese City Games October 17, 2011
50 m backstroke 25.59 2019 World Cup August 9, 2019
100 m backstroke 53.78 2024 Chinese National Swimming Championships April 21, 2024
200 m backstroke 1:58.68 2015 World Cup August 12, 2015
50 m breastsroke 28.56 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships December 10, 2023
100 m breaststroke 1:01.15 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships December 10, 2023
200 m breaststroke 2:16.30 2012 Chinese National Swimming Championships September 22, 2012
50 m butterfly 24.53 2022 Asian Games September 24, 2023
100 m butterfly 52.83 2020 Chinese National Swimming Championships September 28, 2020
200 m butterfly 1:56.70 2013 Chinese National Swimming Championships April 4, 2013
200 m individual medley 1:54.62 2022 Asian Games September 24, 2023 AS,NR
400 m individual medley 4:09.10 2013 National Games of China September 4, 2013 NR

Short course (25-meter pool)

Event Time Meet Date Note(s)
50 m freestyle 23.64 2013 World Cup November 5, 2013
100 m freestyle 48.71 2013 World Cup November 5, 2013
200 m freestyle 1:43.43 2018 World Cup November 11, 2018
50 m butterfly 23.78 2016 World Cup October 1, 2016
100 m butterfly 53.72 2013 World Cup November 13, 2013
200 m butterfly 1:51.94 2013 World Cup November 13, 2013
100 m individual medley 51.24 2024 World Cup October 18, 2024 NR,AS
200 m individual medley 1:51.01 2018 World Championships December 11, 2018 NR
400 m individual medley 3:59.99 2018 World Cup November 17, 2018 NR

Key: NR = National Record; AS = Asian Record

References