Three-Time Olympic Champion Wu Peng Returns After 10 Years Retirement

Three-Time Olympic Champion Wu Peng Returns To Chinese language Nationwide Competitions After 10 Years Retirement

Thrice Olympic Wu Peng Ten years after retiring from aggressive swimming, she is making a comeback in pool on the Chinese language Spring Nationals this week.

Wu, 36, represented China on the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics, the primary of which was simply 17 years outdated. Celeb beat Michael Phelps at 200 flights twice in 2011ended a nine-year streak for Phelps. He completed fourth within the 200 fly on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with New Zealand. Seaweed Burmester and was the one Chinese language man to make an Olympic last in 2004. He skilled in the USA for trials with Mission Viejo and Membership Wolverine.

Competing in lighter and shorter occasions, Wu is swimming in Qingdao this week. He earned a spot on the nationwide championships in Could with a time of 23.81 in 50 freestyles. Her objective is to swim on the Asian Video games, which can be held in her hometown of Hangzhou within the fall.

“I used to be nervous earlier than the race and I did not sleep nicely final evening,” Wu mentioned. Xinhua News Agency. “I felt like I used to be rusting via the 50 metres, so though I often held my breath your entire race, a couple of instances I could not assist however breathe.”

Wu mentioned she misplaced “six or seven kilos” in preparation for this occasion. He’ll swim 50 and 100 fly later within the week, however he has no plans to reprise his function as 200 butterflies.

Wu received a silver medal within the 200 fly on the 2007 World Championships at that occasion. added bronze medals in 2005, 2011 and 2013; second, his final main worldwide occasion earlier than his retirement. Two years after receiving the bronze medal, Wu received the gold medal on the 2006 Brief Course World Championships in Shanghai. He’s additionally a four-time Asian Video games gold medalist in occasions comparable to 200 golf equipment, 200 backs and 400 particular person medleys.

Wu swam within the 200 fly and 200 IM on the 2012 London Olympics, and swam in each the butterfly races and IMs on the 2004 Video games. Wu nonetheless holds the Chinese language long-distance report from the 2008 Video games in 1:54.35 at 200 flies.

“The 200m nationwide report remains to be mine, however I am not going to attempt to break it anymore,” he mentioned. “I can solely race in dash races like 50m.”

The Asian Video games in Hangzhou is a vacation spot for Wu, who first swam on the Asian Video games 21 years in the past.

I’ve been by the pool for the final 10 years, however this time I wish to bounce within the pool and compete for my hometown once more.”