Netizens join fray after swimmer's remark about Sun

The swimming rivalry between China and Australia has escalated beyond the pool, with Australian swimmer Mack Horton's comments about Chinese rival Sun Yang triggering heated confrontations.

The feud was first stirred up by Horton before the men's 400m freestyle final at the Rio Olympics, when he called Sun a "drug cheat" during a poolside interview. It then intensified when he used the term again after edging out defending champion Sun to win the 400m gold medal on Saturday.

Regarding his remarks, Horton, who was beaten by Sun at last year's world championships in Russia, said he didn't intend to single out Sun.