MAN OF THE HOUR

When called upon by his nation, swimmer Sun Jiajun, knowing it was his time, grasped the opportunity with both hands

The blue hour — that fleeting period just before sunrise when the sun lingers below the horizon, its scattered light painting the sky in deep cobalt — is 24-year-old Chinese swimmer Sun Jiajun's favorite time of day.

That transitional magic, where darkness gives way to dawn, mirrors the defining moment of his career: the men's 4x100m medley relay final at the Paris Olympics last August.

Originally a backup, Sun earned his spot in the men's medley relay after outperforming teammate Wang Changhao — who clocked 52.37 seconds in the 100m butterfly — with a time of 51.85 seconds three days earlier, as Wang battled fever-induced fatigue.