Chinese swimmer Sun Yang has spoken about his intention to return to competitions and continue his professional career now that his 51-month doping ban has ended.

At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Sun became the first Chinese athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in men’s swimming. At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, he went on to win gold and silver in the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle, respectively. Also with 11 World Championships titles, Sun is one of the most decorated Chinese swimmers in history.

In 2020, Sun was suspended for eight years by the World Anti-Doping Agency for tampering with drug testing equipment and refusing to complete a doping test in 2018. His ban was cut to four years and three months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2021.

In a recent interview with The Paper, the 32-year-old swimmer shared how he got through the past four years, and what he expects for the future.

Reporter: He Kai; video editors: Huang Zhihan, Tong Jiaxuan, and Lü Xiao.