China's swimmer Wang Shun receives an interview with the Global Times on September 28, 2023. Photo: Zhang Zhen/GT

"I am overwhelmed and proud to participate in Asia's largest comprehensive sports event in my hometown, and it encourages me to continue to make breakthroughs and create even more brilliant results," China's evergreen swimmer Wang Shun, who won a record-breaking title at the 19th Asian Games, held in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times on Thursday.

On September 24, Wang stood on the top podium in the men's 200-meter individual medley final of the Asian Games swimming event, breaking the Asian record held by himself with a time of 1:54.62, and clocking the fastest time in the event since 2012.

The previous evening, Wang was given the honor of being the last torchbearer at the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games, alongside with the "digital torchbearer" bearing the enthusiasm of more than 100 million people across Asia to jointly lit the cauldron.

"As a torchbearer for the Hangzhou Games, every moment, from rehearsal to receiving the flame during the opening ceremony, and finally lighting the cauldron, was incredibly awe-inspiring for me. I consider this experience as a true recognition of my past efforts and it has filled me with confidence for my future athletic career," Wang said.

While as the men's 200m individual medley champion of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Wang recently faced a low point in his career at the World Aquatics Championships in July 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. He finished only 16th in the men's 200m individual medley preliminaries, almost being eliminated. In the semifinals, he finished 11th and missed the finals.

"At that time, I was quite frustrated and had many negative thoughts. I often doubted myself during training. However, with the approaching of the Asian Games held in my hometown Zhejiang, I gathered all my strength, dedicated myself to preparing for the Games, because this event was a crucial milestone in my life," Wang told the Global Times.

Wang admitted that after the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships, he adjusted his mindset and training methods to try to and make a breakthrough at the Hangzhou Games.

During the competition, Wang said that the enthusiasm and support from his relatives, friends and spectators added some pressure for him, but it also fueled his determination.

"Thankfully, I did well in this competition and the results didn't disappoint," Wang said.

In Tuesday's swimming competition, the nearly 30-year-old veteran also staged a remarkable performance. He competed in three events and gave his best effort - winning a bronze medal in the men's 400m individual medley and delivering an outstanding performance in the men's 4x100m medley relay preliminaries, where he set a new personal best in the 100m backstroke.

"Medley is composed of four strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. I wanted to use this short-distance competition and training to lay a solid foundation for my overall speed in the individual medley," Wang said.

Wang started learning to swim at the age of 6 years old, won a silver medal at the Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010, won a bronze medal at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014, achieved a gold medal at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games... This year, participating in the Asian Games for a fourth time, he once again became the champion.

Wang said that swimming is all that matters to him in life. "It has brought me very many things, most importantly, it has brought me a spirit that is not afraid when I meet difficulties and setbacks."

Looking ahead, Wang noted that as the preparation period for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is only three years, and this Hangzhou Games is the last major sporting event before the Olympics,he hopes that this competition will serve as a test of his own strength, while accumulating experience for next year's Paris Olympic Games in the mentality and technical weaknesses, and then to make some supplements and adjustments.

When asked why China's swimming team, especially Zhejiang's swimmers were invincible in the Hangzhou Asian Games swimming events, Wang said that some provinces in China have currently built a more mature and complete grassroots swimming talent identification, cultivation and training system to produce more professional sports stars.

"Coupled with the hosting of important events like the Asian Games, more ignited the public's enthusiasm for sports, so that everyone more involved in sports, forming a virtuous cycle," Wang said.