This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
Mack Horton Refuses to Share Podium with Rival Sun Yang ¶
On Sunday, July 21, Australian Olympic champion swimmer Mack Horton rekindled his long-standing feud with Chinese rival Sun Yang, refusing to join him on the podium after finishing second in a swimming event at the world championships in South Korea.
According to reports, Horton declined to shake hands or pose for photos with Sun, who claimed the gold medal in the men's 400 free event, ahead of Horton who settled for silver.
The pair's feud dates back to 2016 during the Rio Olympics when Horton labelled Sun 'a drug cheat,' two years after the Chinese served a doping ban.
At the time, Horton went on to win the gold medal, but has since struggled to outshine Sun, who has dominated swimming events in recent years.
As the controversy surrounding Sun's doping protocols continues, Horton's actions on the podium have sparked further debate, with many questioning the Australian swimmer's decision to boycott the ceremony.
