Ning bids birthday farewell to pool

The question of whether Chinese swimming ace Ning Zetao could return to dominate the 2020 Tokyo Olympics got a definitive answer on Wednesday when the pride of Zhengzhou, Henan province, officially announced his retirement on his 26th birthday.

"I will say goodbye to the swimming pool in order to start a brand new life," Ning said on Chinese social-media platform Weibo.

"I did not fear the past and I do not fear the future. I'll keep chasing the beauty of life and accept all the regrets. I believe everything has a plan. I want to thank everyone, especially my fans.