Sun Yang set to miss Paris Olympics in massive boost for Aussie swimmer Sam Short

News that Sun Yang is set to miss the Paris Olympics due to the Chinese team's selection criteria comes as as a huge boost to Sam Short's chances of winning gold. The Chinese Swimming Association announced last week that its team for the Olympics would be chosen based on results from the 2023 and 2024 world championships, as well as results from the national championships set to take place in April.

It means six-time Olympic medallist Sun won't be eligible because his doping suspension doesn't end until May. The Chinese Swimming Association said in a statement: "The top eight results from the finals of each swimming event from the 2023 Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships and the 2024 Doha World Aquatics Championships (and the) 2024 National Swimming Championship results will be treated as qualifying results."

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The 32-year-old Sun is a hugely controversial figure in the swimming world and had been hoping to return at the Olympics next July. He was suspended for eight years by the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2020 after smashing vials of his own blood during a doping test in 2018 - the circumstances of which he still disputes.

He managed to get the ban reduced to four years after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which looked as though it would make him eligible for the 2024 Olympics. Sun had expressed an interest in returning to competition in time for Paris, which would be his fourth Olympics, but the selection criteria appears to dash his hopes.

In a post on his Weibo social media page on Saturday, Sun said: "Swimming is an inalienable part of my life, and I will always be passionate about it." He made no other statement in regards to the selection criteria or the Olympics.

Sam Short misses out on challenge of racing Sun Yang

Sun's absence would provide a huge boost for Aussie swimmer Short, who won 400m freestyle gold at the world championships in July. The 19-year-old joined legends Ian Thorpe, Kieren Perkins and Grant Hackett as Aussies to win the 400m world title, doing so in the fourth-fastest time in history.

He will head to Paris as a red-hot favourite, and won't have to contend with Sun. However Short might be disappointed not to get the chance to race the drug-tainted swimmer.

"Bring it on," he said in July about potentially facing Sun. "I watched him race in 2012, I was only nine years old then. I will be 20 in Paris so I am up to the challenge if he wants to come back, for sure."

Sun, who had many battles with Short's compatriot Mack Horton, burst onto the global stage at the 2012 Olympics in London, winning gold medals in the 400m and 1500m freestyle events. He also won silver in the 200m freestyle and a bronze medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay

Four years later in Rio he won the 200m freestyle gold and silver in the 400m freestyle. The 11-time world champion, whose personal coach is Australian Denis Cotterell, had signalled his intention to return.

"I have not retired and still insist on swimming training every day," he said recently. "I have never said to the outside world that I am retired or not swimming. "I have always believed that using my body and ability to do what I have to do and always be ready is my current state of mind. Four years is not long. I want to stick with it."

with agencies

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