FINA World Championships editorial coverage is proudly sponsored by SpeedoUSA. For all the latest coverage, check out our event coverage page.
BARCELONA, Spain, August 4. WU Peng, the bronze medalist at this week’s world swimming championships in the men’s 200 butterfly, has announced that he will retire from the sport this September.
Peng, 26, relocated from China to Ann Arbor, Mich., in 2008 after finishing in a tie for fourth in the 200 butterfly at the Beijing Olympics, to train with the Club Wolverine elite postgrad team. He suffered an elbow fracture in February 2009 and was forced to skip the world championships.
In the time since then, he became known for his swims at the USA Swimming Grand Prix meets, when he beat Michael Phelps on two occasions in early 2011. He backed up those wins with a bronze medal behind Phelps in the 200 fly at the world championships.
Wu was unable to continue his successful 2011 into 2012, finishing 11th in the 200 fly. The bronze medal he won in the 200 fly on Wednesday marked his third bronze medal in the world championships, having also won 200 fly bronze in 2005. He also took home a silver medal in the 200 fly at the 2007 world championships behind Phelps.
Wu said he plans to stay in the United States to earn degrees in sports management and international trade. He told Chinese media he plans to parlay those degrees into work in the sport of swimming.
Full text of Sina article
