'Through hardship to the stars'

Noting the benefit they will enjoy from sports science methods that were unimaginable in his early days, he added: "When these approaches are fed back to the younger athletes, it allows them, in a much shorter time, to integrate all these advantages into their own training routines."

Wang takes his mentorship role seriously, particularly when it comes to navigating the crushing psychological pressure of major events. He understands that a swimmer's first heat often dictates their mental expectations for the entire meet.

"Everyone is usually quite anxious," he noted. "If during the first race, my physical condition isn't ideal, and I feel exhausted swimming it, and the result is poor on top of that, then I'll be very worried about the whole competition."

Drawing on his own history of competitive anxiety, Wang often initiates chats with young athletes who struggle in their opening races to help stabilize their mindset.

Behind the medalist and mentor, however, is a grueling, often lonely journey.

"The highlights are visible to everyone," he said. "But of course, beyond the moments that aren't captured on camera — I think those are what truly represent the hardest points of my career. They are often unseen by the public; the times when I probably had more internal dialogues with myself, just trying to push through the process and move forward."

During past slumps, Wang relied heavily on these internal conversations to survive the monotony of closed training camps and the frustration of injuries.

"Sometimes, I truly felt lost and didn't know what to do," Wang confessed. "Sometimes, the frequency of the internal dialogues is incredibly high. It's been a process of constantly patching things up, and that's how I've made it to where I am today."

As his fifth Asiad comes to a close, the veteran refuses to place a definitive endpoint on his competitive career. Yet, whatever the future holds, his connection to the water remains unbreakable.

"No matter when, or where, I am in the future, I think my life will still be closely tied to the pool and to the world of sports," he said.

For Wang, this long, stumbling journey from a wide-eyed teenager to a revered Olympic champion has given profound new meaning to his favorite motto: "Through hardship to the stars."

"Every time you open the same book, it's not the content of the book that has changed, but rather the experiences you've gone through change its meaning," Wang smiled.

"I believe this understanding comes from constantly encountering challenges, solving problems and overcoming obstacles... I feel this is an incredibly precious spiritual asset on my journey of growth."