Sun Yang Shatters Hours Old Asian Games Record In 800 Free

SWIMMING AT THE 2018 ASIAN GAMES

Sun Yang won his second gold medal of the 2018 Asian Games on day 2 with a big win in the men’s 800 freestyle, shattering the Games Record of 8:03.87 in a time of 7:48.36.

That previous record was set in the prelims, as Indonesian Aflah Prawira broke the 1951 record of Neo Chwee Kok who had been 11:02.2. This is the first time the men’s 800 has been contested at the Games since then.

The 26-year-old Sun cruised through the early stages of the race, sticking with Japan’s Shogo Takeda and Vietnam’s Nguyen Huy Hoang as he flipped at the halfway mark in 3:57.10. He turned up the heat towards the end of the race, splitting 1:53.48 over his final 200 to decimate the two others and run away with the gold in 7:48.36. He ended up negative-splitting the race by an incredibly wide margin, closing in 3:51.26 after his opening 400 of 3:57.1.

Sun’s swim improves his season-best of 7:50.47, and moves him up from 11th to 8th in the world rankings.

Takeda won silver in 7:53.01, and Nguyen broke his own Vietnamese Record to win bronze in 7:54.32. That took down his previous mark of 7:58.07.

After winning the 200 free on day 1, Sun will seek a third gold medal in just two days as he anchors China’s 800 free relay at the end of the session.

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bobby
5 years ago

wait….1:43 over the last 200?? after already swimming a 600? how

Love to Swim
5 years ago
Jim C
5 years ago

It is not very often that you see a record broken by 27% in the prelims.

Love to Swim
5 years ago

Partial recording of the race:
https://youtu.be/MQXZ-Rlpf5M

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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