CHINESE swimming ace Sun Yang hopes a successful defense of his titles at next month’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics will finally purge the controversies that have engulfed him in recent years, the China Daily reported yesterday.

    As arguably the most renowned of the 416 Chinese athletes competing in Rio, Sun has endured a rocky ride — including a detention for driving without a license, disputes with his former coach and a doping violation — since winning two gold medals at the 2012 London Games.

    Despite the distractions, the 24-year-old has rekindled his ambition to scoop up more gold in Brazil.

    “Respect is always earned through hard work ... it’s not just given, no matter what you won in the past,” said Sun, who shot to fame after winning the 400m and 1,500m freestyles in London four years ago.

    His supremacy in freestyle continued at the World Championships, where he won a combined five gold medals in the 400, 800 and 1,500 in Barcelona 2013 and Kazan 2015, becoming one of the most decorated swimmers in the world.

    After experiencing so many ups and downs, Sun said he has learned how to better manage himself away from the pool.

    Despite an accidental foot injury he sustained earlier this year, Sun has banked some solid performances recently.

    At a June international meet in Santa Clara, California, he won the 200m freestyle in one minute, 44.82 seconds — the fastest time in the world this year. He later finished the 400m heat in 3:43.55, the year’s second best mark.

    Coach Zhang Yadong said Sun will face tough challenges from Australia’s Mack Horton and Conor Dwyer of the U.S. in Rio, but experience and confidence could give him an edge.

    Sun will compete in the 200, 400 and 1,500m freestyle in Rio, where he will join Ning Zetao, men’s 100m freestyle world champion, to be the country’s best gold medal hopes.

    (SD-Agencies)