Cheng Ye

He took silver at last year’s Asian Games and is training for this year’s World Championships. He’s in the water at five every morning and swims ten kilometers a day. Off the clock he’s a total foodie who can put away three bowls of rice on his own after practice. He grew up by the sea, and the moment talk turns to anything but swimming, he starts to stammer.

Personality. Straightforward and says whatever’s on his mind; happy or upset, it’s all written on his face. A beast in the pool, a big puppy on dry land. He calls anyone older than him “big sis” or “big bro” and can’t drop the habit even when corrected. When he’s nervous, he talks nonstop, gets more and more tangled, and ends up being the first to bury his face in his hands.