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'Who's the loser now': Sun Yang's nasty sledge backfires spectacularly

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Duncan Scott has produced the perfect response to Sun Yang’s ‘loser’ sledge, swimming an incredible anchor leg as Great Britain claimed gold in the 4x100m medley relay at the world swimming championships.

Scott caused a stir last week when he refused to shake hands or pose for photos with Sun after the 200m freestyle final, won by the controversial Chinese star.

Sun then angrily remonstrated with Scott, saying: “You’re a loser, I am winning.”

However on Sunday Scott was the one winning.

The Briton swam the second-fastest relay split of all time in the anchor leg of the medley relay, overhauling his US and Russian rivals to secure gold and deny Caeleb Dressel a seventh world title in Gwangju.

Duncan Scott produced the perfect response to Sun Yang's 'loser' sledge. Image: Getty
Duncan Scott produced the perfect response. Image: Getty

Britain's come-from-behind victory came in the penultimate event of a pulsating last night in the pool.

It came just before the US women set a world record to win the medley relay, with Regan Smith breaking the backstroke record in the lead-off leg.

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Scott plunged into the pool with ground to make up on the United States after Dressel opened up a lead for Nathan Adrian with a typically blistering butterfly leg, with Russia also breathing down the American's neck.

However, the Glasgow-born 22-year-old swam an incredible 46.14 seconds, the fastest since American Jason Lezak's 46.06 at the Beijing Olympics, to run down Adrian and give Britain the gold and their first win over the US in the event.

Gold medalists Luke Greenbank, Adam Peaty, James Guy and Duncan Scott after the 4x100m medley relay. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Gold medalists Luke Greenbank, Adam Peaty, James Guy and Duncan Scott. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

"I can't say I thought I had that split in me," said Scott, still rubbing his head in disbelief.

"I'm just sort of speechless I've been able to put that race together."

An elated Peaty said he was so pumped he would not sleep for three days.

"That's testament to who we are as racers, who we are as people," said the Olympic and world breaststroke champion of the team, which also included James Guy and Luke Greenbank.

"We just showed that the British are always up for a race."

And the swimming world certainly hadn’t forgotten Sun’s nasty jibe.