'Through hardship to the stars'

When 32-year-old Wang Shun looked around the Tokyo Aquatics Centre during the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, the Olympic champion saw more than just another medal opportunity.

He saw 16 years of his youth reflected in the pool.

At 32, and the oldest member of the Chinese swimming team in Nagoya, the five-time Asian Games veteran has turned the page on a remarkable chapter of his career.

"From my first Asian Games in Guangzhou to now, 16 years have passed," Wang told China Daily in Nagoya.

"When I first participated in the Asian Games, I was only 16. I have so many mixed feelings, so many emotions, but it's hard to put them into words. I just feel time passes incredibly fast. These moments at the Asian Games will be etched in my mind forever."

At the 2026 Asian Games, Wang showcased his enduring value to the national squad by claiming a gold medal as part of China's men's 4x200m freestyle relay team, adding to the two bronze medals he secured in the 400m and 200m individual medley events.

While his 200 IM time of 1:57.14 was a step down from his Asian record-setting 1:54.62 in Hangzhou in 2023, Wang has reached a stage in his career where he readily accepts the unpredictable nature of elite sports. Rather than obsessing solely over the clock, he now focuses on leaving the pool with the certainty that he gave 100 percent effort.