Rio 2016: Olympic gold medallist Mack Horton a ‘hero’ for stance against doping

AN hour before the start of the Olympic men’s 400m final swimming writers discussed the statement made by Australia’s Mack Horton about drug cheats.

Australia's Mack Horton celebrates on the podium with his gold medal.

AN hour before the start of the Olympic men’s 400m final a group of swimming writers was discussing the statement made by Australia’s Mack Horton earlier in the day that he had, “no respect for drug cheats”.

One British journalist who has been around the sport longer than most nodded his head.

“He’s a hero,” he said. “Even if he comes last tonight, he’s still a hero”.

Horton didn’t come last of course. He won gold, and in doing so dethroned the defending champion, China’s Sun Yang, a man who in the lead up to the race he referred to only as “the drug cheat”.

Questioned after the race, about his “big statement”, Horton was unrepentant.

“I don’t think it is a big statement because it is true that he has tested positive,” he said, and on that there can be no debate.

Australia's Mack Horton poses on the podium with silver medallist China's Sun Yang (L) and bronze medallist Italy's Grabriele Detti.

In May 2014 Sun Yang tested positive to a banned substance. He served a backdated three month ban and was eligible to swim at the Asian Games, where he won three medals, before news of his failed test was even revealed.

It was the kind of soft punishment that has enraged clean athletes for years, but rarely, if ever, does one speak publicly in protest. That Horton had the strength of his convictions to do just that following his heat swim on the first morning of Olympic competition made it very much a “big statement”.

“There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes talking about all the drugs in sport and no athlete has really come forward and said it,” he said.

“I guess I wouldn’t really feel right if I raced against someone who has tested positive and didn’t bring it up.”

Given that just hours before the start of competition seven Russian swimmers who had been banned from the Games because they had a history of drug use were allowed back in on appeal, Horton’s stand was even more timely.

Asked if he felt that clean athletes had a responsibility to speak up like he did, he didn’t hesitate.

“Yes I do. It’s only the first day. Hopefully others will follow.”

Horton’s unprecedented attack on Sun Yang was no spur of the moment outburst. He felt strongly about the issue and, inspired by the achievements of Swimming Australia chairman and America’s Cup-winning skipper John Bertrand, decided to use it as a two-pronged attack. One, making his views public, and two, firing himself up for the race.

His only worry was whether a reporter would ask him a question about Sun Yang after his heat swim. As it turned out, it was the last question asked, but if not “I would have got it in somehow”.

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As the two swimmers slugged it out down the final lap it appeared that Sun Yang had gained the upper-hand, but somehow Horton fought back and delivered the knockout by the slightest of margins.

“That last 25m, the last 15, I felt like I had concrete blocks on my arms basically,” he said. “Then I kind of flashed back to my statement this morning and I thought, ‘I really don’t have a choice. I really have to beat him now’, so that’s what I did.”

Even before the race started, the animosity between the pair was on show as they lined up in adjoining lanes. No sooner had the Chinese swimmer placed a dry towel next to his block in preparation to stepping up for the start, than Horton bent down and began vigorously scooping water up onto his face, the excess drenching the towel.

Given that Sun Yang had been accused of splashing Horton as the pair trained in the same pool earlier in the week, it was a clear message of intent.

Asked about it, Horton pleaded innocence.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said. “I always splash.”

But it was a very big splash.

“Yeah,” he smiled.

He wasn’t as coy at the press conference following the medal ceremony. Asked by the Chinese media what he had meant by his statement earlier in the day, Horton explained it clearly and concisely, as Sun Yang sat beside him. The Chinese equivalent of “drug cheat” was used by the interpreter several times.

But there was really no need for an interpreter, in the end Horton’s actions did all the talking that was necessary.

Asked if he felt his win was a victory for clean sport he answered simply, “you took the words out of my mouth.”

Originally published as Rio 2016: Olympic gold medallist Mack Horton a ‘hero’ for stance against doping