China Men’s Gymnastics Wins 6 Golds; Sun Yang Finishes 4th in 400m Freestyle
China’s men’s gymnastics team delivered a commanding performance at the 13th Asian Gymnastics Championships and 19th Asian Youth Gymnastics Championships in Zunyi, Guizhou, securing six gold medals across senior and youth competitions. Meanwhile, at the National Swimming Championships in Hangzhou, 34-year-old Olympic champion Sun Yang finished fourth in the men’s 400m freestyle but declared he still has “the heart of a champion.”
Gymnastics Dominance in Zunyi
The Asian Gymnastics Championships returned to China for the first time in 14 years, with the event hosted at the Zunyi Olympic Sports Center from June 18 to 21. According to People’s Daily, the Chinese senior men’s team won the team gold with a score of 254.194 points, ahead of Japan (silver) and South Korea (bronze).
Zhang Boheng, the Olympic all-around silver medalist from Paris 2024, emerged as the standout performer of the championships. He claimed gold in the men’s all-around with 85.298 points and added gold on parallel bars with a score of 14.933, along with silver medals on horizontal bar, rings, and pommel horse. As reported by CCTV Sports, Zhang credited the team’s composure for their success, stating: “The best thing about the team competition was that everyone kept their composure.”
Yang Haonan contributed a gold medal on rings and silver in the men’s all-around. The competition also featured international stars, with Philippine Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo winning the floor exercise gold and his 18-year-old brother Karl Jahrel Eldrew Yulo taking bronze in the same event. Chinese Taipei’s Tang Chia-hung delivered a standout performance on horizontal bar, scoring 15.500 points to claim gold.
Youth Team Success
In the Asian Youth Championships, China’s junior men’s team won the team gold with 241.458 points, ahead of Japan and India. Local Zunyi athlete Chen Junji captured the youth rings gold with 13.566 points — his first continental individual gold. “I performed beyond expectations in this competition because having my family watching gave me more strength,” Chen said, according to Beijing News.
The championships serve as a key qualifying and preparation event for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya and the World Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, with over 20 countries and regions participating.
Sun Yang’s Champion’s Heart
At the 2026 National Swimming Championships in Hangzhou, which doubled as selection trials for the Nagoya Asian Games, Sun Yang finished fourth in the men’s 400m freestyle — his ninth career race in the event. As The Paper reported, the 34-year-old swimmer remained defiant after the race: “With more effort, I hope to return to the 400m freestyle podium, because I have a heart that wants to win and a champion’s heart.”
Sun Yang, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 1500m freestyle, returned to competition in May 2024 after serving a four-year-and-three-month doping suspension. He won the 400m freestyle at the 2024 National Summer Championships and took bronze in the same event at the 2025 National Championships.
Despite finishing fourth in his signature event, Sun Yang contributed significantly to his Zhejiang team’s success, winning two relay gold medals in the 4x200m and 4x100m freestyle events. His performance at age 34, competing against a new generation of Chinese swimmers including world record holder Pan Zhanle, demonstrates his enduring competitiveness.
Looking Ahead
Both events carry significant implications for China’s sporting calendar. The gymnastics championships have positioned Zhang Boheng and the Chinese men’s team as strong contenders for the Nagoya Asian Games and Rotterdam World Championships. The emergence of young talents like Chen Junji signals depth in China’s gymnastics pipeline.
For Sun Yang, the path to the Nagoya Asian Games remains uncertain after his fourth-place finish. However, his relay performances and unwavering determination suggest the veteran swimmer is not ready to step away from the sport. As he put it: “I have a heart that wants to win.”
The women’s gymnastics competition at the Asian Championships is scheduled to begin on June 25, with athletes already arriving in Zunyi.