Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, a three-time Olympic champion, marked his return from a four-year doping ban by winning the men's 400m freestyle at the National Summer Swimming Championships in Hefei. Sun's victory time of 3:49.58 was significantly slower than his Olympic record and current top international times, leading to mixed reactions on social media. Despite the criticism, he expressed gratitude towards his family for their support during his suspension, which stemmed from a contentious anti-doping test in 2018. Sun's ban was initially set for eight years but was reduced to four years and three months on appeal, ending in May 2024. While his performance indicates rust from years of limited competition and training, he remains determined to improve and compete in more events in the future.