SWIMMERS from China

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Chinese Swimmers of all time. This list of famous Chinese Swimmers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Chinese Swimmers.

1. Sun Yang (b. 1991)

With an HPI of 39.59, Sun Yang is the most famous Chinese Swimmer.  His biography has been translated into 37 different languages on wikipedia.

Sun Yang (Chinese: 孙杨; Mandarin pronunciation: [swə́n.jǎŋ]; born 1 December 1991) is a Chinese Olympic and former world-record-holding competitive swimmer. In 2012, Sun became the first Chinese athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in men's swimming. Sun is the first male swimmer in history to earn Olympic and World Championship gold medals at every freestyle distance from 200 to 1500 metres. A three-time Olympic gold medalist and eleven-time world champion, he is the most decorated Chinese swimmer in history. In 2017, NBC Sports described him as "very arguably the greatest freestyle swimmer of all time". In September 2018, Sun was involved in a controversial incident during an out-of-competition doping test at his home. The doping control assistant (DCA) lacked proper accreditation and took photos of Sun without his permission, leading him to refuse the blood sample collection. A security guard broke open the container to prevent the testers from taking the vials. The DCA later admitted to unprofessional conduct. FINA ruled that Sun did not violate anti-doping rules due to the DCA's actions. However, on 28 February 2020, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned FINA's decision, banning Sun for eight years for tampering with the doping control process. Some analysts opined that the trial was marred by severe translation problems, conflict of interest, bias and an "absence of evidence" around doping activity. Despite this, CAS found no evidence of doping, so Sun retained his medals. On 22 June 2021, after a retrial, the CAS upheld the ban but reduced it to four years and three months.

2. Qian Hong (b. 1971)

With an HPI of 35.10, Qian Hong is the 2nd most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Qian Hong (simplified Chinese: 钱红; traditional Chinese: 錢紅; pinyin: Qián Hóng; born January 30, 1971, in Baoding, Hebei) is a former butterfly swimmer from China and two-time Olympic medalist. Qian first won a bronze medal in the 100 m butterfly at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Four years later she captured gold in the same event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

3. Zhuang Yong (b. 1972)

With an HPI of 33.97, Zhuang Yong is the 3rd most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Zhuang Yong (simplified Chinese: 庄泳; traditional Chinese: 莊泳; pinyin: Zhuāng Yǒng; born August 10, 1972) is a retired freestyle swimmer from China, whose best performance was winning the gold medal in the 100 m freestyle at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. It was China's first gold medal in swimming. Four years earlier in Seoul she won China's first ever Olympic medal in swimming, ending up second in the final of the Women's 100 m Freestyle, behind East Germany's Kristin Otto.

4. Lin Li (b. 1970)

With an HPI of 33.69, Lin Li is the 4th most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Lin Li (Chinese: 林莉; pinyin: Lín Lì; born May 4, 1970) is an Olympic champion and former World Record holding swimmer from China. She swam for China at the: Olympics: 1988, 1992, 1996 World Championships: 1991 Asian Games: 1990, 1994 Pan Pacific Championships: 1989, 1991 At the 1992 Olympics, she set a World Record in winning the women's 200 IM in 2:11.65, as well as also garnering silver medals in 200m breaststroke and 400m IM. As of 2018, she currently coaches at Saratoga Star Aquatics-Live in Saratoga, California and has adjusted her last name from "Lin" to "Lynn".

5. Yang Wenyi (b. 1972)

With an HPI of 33.52, Yang Wenyi is the 5th most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Yang Wenyi (simplified Chinese: 杨文意; traditional Chinese: 楊文意; pinyin: Yáng Wényì; born January 11, 1972, in Shanghai) is a former freestyle and backstroke swimmer from China, whose best performance was winning the gold medal in the 50 m freestyle at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and in the same year she won the same event at the 4th Asian Championships. She was the first woman in history to go under the 25-seconds barrier in the 50m freestyle when she was 20 years old. She was one of "Five Golden Flowers" of Chinese swimming. She was born in 1972 in Shanghai and she joined the national team and began intense training in 1986. During her career she broke national swimming records eighteen times. After retirement, she owned "Jinyi Sports Promotion Ltd", holding sports contests and running "Yang Wenyi Swimming Club". The club is located in Minhang, Shanghai.

6. Le Jingyi (b. 1975)

With an HPI of 32.97, Le Jingyi is the 6th most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Le Jingyi (simplified Chinese: 乐靖宜; traditional Chinese: 樂靖宜; pinyin: Lè Jìngyí; born March 19, 1975, in Shanghai) is a former swimmer from China who won the gold medal in the 100 metres freestyle at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA. In 1992, Le won the silver medal in the 4×100 metres freestyle relay (3:40.12) at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, and also finished 6th in the 100 m free (55.89). In 1993 she defeated her teammate, Olympic champion Zhuang Yong, to become national champion in the 100 m free (54.72, 2nd globally after Franziska van Almsick). In December 1993, she won 4 golds, all in world record times, at the 1st ever World Short Course Championships in Spain (50 m free: 24.23; 100 m free: 53.01; 4×100 m free relay: 3:35.97 and 4×100 m medley reply: 3:57.73). She won the title in the 100 metres freestyle at the 1994 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, setting a world record with a time of 54.01 seconds. She also set a world record in the 50 metres freestyle (24.51) and anchored two world record-setting relays. She also won 3 golds in the 1995 Short Course Worlds in Brazil. At the Atlanta Olympics, she won the 100 m freestyle (54.50) and won silver medals in the 4×100 metres freestyle relay (3:40.48) and the 50 metres freestyle (24.90). Le continued to compete in 1997, winning the 50 m freestyle (25.24) and taking silver in the 10 0m (54.86) and 200 m (2:00.54) at the Pan Pacific Championships. At the 1997 Chinese National Games, she was upset by Shan Ying in the 50 m (24.71 to 24.88), though she took gold in the 100 m (54.10, 2nd fastest all-time). Le competed at the 1998 World Championships in Perth but only swam in relays. She recorded the slowest split (57.59) among all 32 swimmers in the 4×100 m free relay final, where the Chinese team placed 8th. In 2000, Le made an attempt to qualify for her third Olympics but was off-form to make it into the team. While Le had been Olympic champion and world champion many times, she had never won a medal at the Asian Games. She competed in the 1994 Games in Hiroshima, entering the 50 m free and 4×100 m free relay. In the 50 free, she set a Games record (25.26) in the heats but was disqualified in the final for a false start. In the 4×100 m free relay, the Chinese team won (Le swam the 2nd leg and split 54.14) but was subsequently stripped of their gold when Lu Bin failed a doping test. She was the face of the rising power of Chinese swimming in the mid-1990s. Due to her muscular build, she was one of many Chinese swimmers suspected of using steroids during the 1990s. Though several others were later found guilty of doping, she never tested positive for any illegal substances.

7. Zhang Yufei (b. 1998)

With an HPI of 32.51, Zhang Yufei is the 7th most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Zhang Yufei (Chinese: 张雨霏; pinyin: Zhāng Yǔfēi; born 19 April 1998) is a Chinese competitive swimmer who specializes in sprint freestyle and butterfly events. Considered one of the most promising swimming in the international scene, she produced a tally of forty-three medals (eighteen gold medals, eight silver medals, and seventeen bronze medals) in her swimming career, spanning the Youth Olympics, Asian Games, World Championships and the Summer Olympics. She currently holds the record for most Olympic medals for a Chinese athlete. In 2023, she was named as the most valuable player in the women's division, in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

8. Ye Shiwen (b. 1996)

With an HPI of 31.51, Ye Shiwen is the 8th most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 28 different languages.

Ye Shiwen (Chinese: 叶诗文; pinyin: Yè Shīwén; Mandarin pronunciation: [jê ʂɻ̩́ wə̌n] ; born 1 March 1996) is a Chinese swimmer. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she won gold medals in the 400 metres and 200 metres individual medley, breaking the world record in the 400 m event and the Olympic record in the 200 m event.

9. Liu Zige (b. 1989)

With an HPI of 30.80, Liu Zige is the 9th most famous Chinese Swimmer.  Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Liu Zige (simplified Chinese: 刘子歌; traditional Chinese: 劉子歌; pinyin: Liú Zǐgē, born 31 March 1989) is a world record holding professional swimmer from China. She swam for China at the 2008 Olympics, where she won the women's 200m butterfly in a new world record of 2:04.18.

10. Wang Shun (b. 1994)

With an HPI of 29.69, Wang Shun is the 10th most famous Chinese Swimmer.  His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Wang Shun (simplified Chinese: 汪顺; traditional Chinese: 汪順; pinyin: Wāng Shùn; born 11 February 1994) is a Chinese competitive swimmer. A versatile medley swimmer, he became the first Asian male swimmer to win a gold medal at the men's 200m individual medley at the Olympic Games when he came in first at the 2020 Summer Olympics men's 200 metre individual medley. He is also the first swimmer from China to win a gold medal in an Olympic men's medley swimming event. He had earlier won a bronze medal in the same event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In addition to his Olympic medals, Wang has also won four bronze medals at the World Championships, two gold and one bronze medals at the World Championships (short course) and eleven medals (five golds, three silvers, three bronzes) at the Asian Games. Wang is the current national record holder in individual medley swimming for both short and long courses in all distances (100, 200, and 400 metres). He is also the holder of the Asian record for the 200 metres individual medley.