Wang Shun (; born 11 February 1994) is a Chinese competitive swimmer. He won a gold medal in the 200 metre individual medley at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He is the Asian record holder in the long course 200 metre individual medley and in the short course 100 metre individual medley. He is also the Chinese record holder in the long course 400 metre individual medley and in the short course 200 and 400 metre individual medley.
In 2010, Wang won a silver medal in the 200 metre individual medley at the Asian Games. In 2015, he won a bronze medal in the 200 metre individual medley at the World Aquatics Championships. In 2016, he won a bronze medal in the 200 metre individual medley at the Summer Olympics and a gold medal at the World Swimming Championships (25 m). In 2021, he won a gold medal in the 200 metre individual medley at the Summer Olympics, breaking the Asian record. In 2024, he won another bronze medal in the 200 metre individual medley at the Summer Olympics.
Early life Wang was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang province of China. He started swimming at the age of 6. In 2007, he was selected to join the Zhejiang swimming team and train under Zhu Zhigen. In 2009, he joined the National Swimming Team.
In 2019, Wang graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. In 2022, he obtained his master's degree from Beijing Sport University. Since 2023, he has been pursuing a doctorate degree at Ningbo University.
Career
2010 In November 2010, at the age of 16, Wang represented China for the first time at the Asian Games. He earned a silver medal in the 200 m individual medley with a time of 1:59.72.
2011
In April 2011, at the age of 17, Wang participated in the Chinese National Championships. In the 400 m individual medley, he won a bronze medal with a time of 4:14.88. In the 200 m individual medley, he won a gold medal with a time of 1:59.50.
In July, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he led off in 1:47.09 to help China win a bronze medal and break the National Record.
In September, Wang participated in the Chinese National Championships. In the 400 m individual medley, he broke the Asian record with a time of 4:11.61. In the 200 m individual medley, he won a gold medal with a time of 1:58.56. In the 100 m freestyle, he won a gold medal with a time of 49.78.
In October, Wang competed in the National Intercity Games of China. In the 200 m freestyle, he won a gold medal with a time of 1:46.14. In the 1500 m freestyle, he won in 14:56.92.
2012
Wang nursed a shoulder injury. In his Olympic debut, he finished 22nd in the 200 m individual medley in 2:00.85.London 2012
2013
In April 2013, Wang participated in the Chinese National Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he won a gold medal in 1:57.50, breaking the National Record of 1:58.54 held by Zhang Zishan.
In July, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 200 individual medley, he placed fourth with a time of 1:56.86, setting a new Chinese National Record. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he led off in 1:47.41 to help China win a bronze medal and break the National Record.
In September, Wang competed in the National Games of China. In the 400 m individual medley, he took the gold medal with a time of 4:09.10, crushing his own National Record of 4:11.61 set in 2011. In the 200 m individual medley, he won with a time of 1:57.71.
2014
In May 2014, Wang participated in the Chinese Spring National Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he won with a time of 1:57.33.
In September, Wang competed in the Asian Games. He suddenly developed a fever before the race, but he still won a bronze medal in the 200 m individual medley with a time of 1:59.10.
2015
In August 2015, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he earned the bronze medal with a time of 1:56.81, setting a new Chinese National Record.
2016
In August 2016, Wang competed in the Summer Olympics. In the 200 m individual medley, he took the bronze in 1:57.05. Alongside Kosuke Hagino of Japan who claimed silver in 1:56.61, Wang became one of the first two Asian athletes to earn an Olympic medal in the men’s 200 m individual medley.
In November, Wang competed in the Asian Swimming Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he won with a time of 1:56.66, setting a new Chinese National Record.
In December, Wang competed in World Swimming Championships (25 m). In the 200m individual medley, he took gold in 1:51.74.
2017
In April 2017, Wang participated in the Chinese National Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he won gold in 1:56.16, setting a new Chinese National Record. In the 400 m individual medley, he captured the title in 4:12.65.
In July, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he won a second consecutive World bronze in 1:56.28.
In August, Wang competed in the National Games of China. In the 400 m individual medley, he won gold with a time of 4:12.59. In the 200 m individual medley, he took gold with a 1:57.02.
2018
In August 2018, Wang competed in the Asian Games. In the 200 m individual medley, he won the gold medal with a time of 1:56.52. In the 400 m individual medley, he nabbed bronze in 4:12.31.
In December, Wang competed in the World Swimming Championships (25m). In the 200 m individual medley, he successfully defended his title in a time of 1:51.01, lowering his own Chinese Record. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he anchored in 1:41.93 to help China score bronze and notch a new Asian record.
2019
In March 2019, Wang participated in the Chinese National Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he won the gold medal with a 1:56.66.
In July, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he finished sixth with a time of 1:56.97.
In October, Wang competed in the Military World Games. In the 200 m individual medley, he topped the podium in 1:56.25, breaking the Military World Games record of 1:57.85 set by Jérémy Desplanches in 2017. In the 400 m individual medley, he won another gold in 4:10.13, overtaking the previous Military World Games record of 4:14.20 set by Brandonn Almeida in 2018. In the 200 m backstroke, he took bronze in 1:59.17.
2020
In September 2020, Wang participated in the Chinese Swimming Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he won gold with a time of 1:56.83.
2021
In April 2021, Wang participated in the Chinese National Championships. In the 400 m individual medley, he won with a time of 4:12.03. In the 200 m individual medley, he touched the wall first with a time of 1:56.78.
In July, Wang competed in the Summer Olympics. In the semifinals of the 200 m individual medley, he touched first with 1:56.22. In the final, he was second behind United States' Michael Andrew in the first 150 meters but blew past Andrew in the final 50 meters. He scored the gold medal with 1:55.00, improving upon Kosuke Hagino's former Asian record of 1:55.07 which he swam in 2016.
In September, Wang competed in the National Games of China. In the 400 m individual medley, he took the title in a mark of 4:12.76. In the 200 m freestyle, he took gold in a mark of 1:46.14. In the 200 m individual medley, he beat the field in 1:56.33.
Wang was named the 2021 Asian Male Swimmer of the Year by SwimSwam.
2022
Wang dealt with knee injuries sustained last winter. In the World Aquatics Championships, he finished 16th in the 200 m individual medley in 2:01.35.
2023
In March 2023, Wang participated in the Chinese Spring Championships. In the 100 m backstroke, he won gold in a time of 54.09.
In May, Wang participated in the Chinese National Swimming Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he took gold with a time of 1:55.45. In the 400 m individual medley, he scored the win with a time of 4:13.96. In the 200 m freestyle, he won silver with a time of 1:45.71.
In July, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. He missed out on the final of the 200 m individual medley, placing 11th with a semifinal mark of 1:57.97.
Wang lit the cauldron alongside a digital torchbearer during the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. On day one of the Asian Games, Wang crushed the fastest 200 m individual medley time of his career, getting to the wall in 1:54.62 to grab the gold and establish a new Asian record. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he led off in 1:45.96 to help China earn the silver medal. In the 400 m individual medley, he won a bronze medal with a 4:15.12.
2024
In April 2024, Wang participated in the Chinese National Swimming Championships. In the 100 m backstroke, he snared silver in a new personal best of 53.78. In the 200 m individual medley, he took the gold with a time of a time of 1:55.35.
In July, Wang competed in the Summer Olympics. In the 200 m individual medley, he took the bronze medal in 1:56.00.
In October, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Shanghai. In the 100 m individual medley, he touched the wall in fourth at 51.24, cracking Daiya Seto's Asian record of 51.29. In the 200 m individual medley, he again fell fourth with a time of 1:52.40.
2025
In May 2025, Wang participated in the Chinese National Swimming Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he took the top spot in 1:56.58. In the 400 m individual medley, he garnered the gold medal in 4:10.64.
In July, Wang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 200 m individual medley, he finished seventh with a time of 1:57.92. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he split a 1:46.08 on the third leg to help China claim the silver medal and set a new Asian record.
In November 2025, Wang won 4 gold medals in the 2025 National Games of China, bringing his total gold medal tally in the National Games to 19, setting a new record for an athlete with the most number of gold medals in the history of the National Games of China.
International championships (50 m) Meet200 medley400 medley200 freestyle100 backstroke4x100 freestyle4x200 freestyle4×100 medley4×100 mixed medley AG 2010 WC 2011 18th OG 2012 22nd AC 2012 WC 2013 4th 14th AG 2014 WC 2015 OG 2016 10th AC 2016 WC 2017 19th 42nd 11th AG 2018 WC 2019 6th 23rd 6th OG 2020 10th 9th WC 2022 15th 14th 8th WC 2023 11th DSQ AG 2022 OG 2024 WC 2025 7th DNS 27th 9th AG 2026
International championships (25 m) Meet100 medley200 medley400 medley4×200 freestyle WC 2016 4th DNS 6th WC 2018 6th DNS WC 2021 5th DNS
Personal bests
Long course (50-meter pool)
EventTimeMeetDateNote(s) 50 m freestyle 23.68 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships May 5, 2023 100 m freestyle 48.81 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships May 5, 2023 200 m freestyle 1:45.71 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships May 4, 2023 1500 m freestyle 14:56.92 2011 Chinese City Games October 17, 2011 50 m backstroke 25.59 2019 World Cup August 9, 2019 100 m backstroke 53.78 2024 Chinese National Swimming Championships April 21, 2024 200 m backstroke 1:58.68 2015 World Cup August 12, 2015 50 m breaststroke 28.56 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships December 10, 2023 100 m breaststroke 1:01.15 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships December 10, 2023 200 m breaststroke 2:16.30 2012 Chinese National Swimming Championships September 22, 2012 50 m butterfly 24.53 2022 Asian Games September 24, 2023 100 m butterfly 52.83 2020 Chinese National Swimming Championships September 28, 2020 200 m butterfly 1:56.70 2013 Chinese National Swimming Championships April 4, 2013 200 m individual medley 1:54.62 2022 Asian Games September 24, 2023AS, NR 400 m individual medley 4:09.10 2013 National Games of China September 4, 2013NR
Short course (25-meter pool)