Australia’s Mack Horton and China’s Sun Yang could have the Olympics’ best feud

A feud apparently built up between Australia’s Mack Horton and China’s Sun Yang before Horton defeated Sun for gold by 13 hundredths of a second in the 400m freestyle swimming final on Saturday night.

Yang, the gold medalist in the event four years ago in London, reportedly sent a splash Horton’s way during a training session in Rio. Horton told reporters he didn’t respond to the splash because he "didn’t have time for drug cheats."

The Chinese swimming association has since asked for an apology from Horton. But Australia's Olympic Committee came to the defense of its swimmer, stating that he was speaking in support of clean athletes, according to the Associated Press.

He was referring to Yang’s three-month suspension in 2014 after testing positive for a banned stimulant called trimetazidine.

"I just have a problem with athletes who have tested positive and are still competing," said Horton, according to the AP.

The doping scandal isn’t the only bout of controversy surrounding one of China’s most accomplished and well-known athletes either. In 2015, he was accused of attempting to elbow and kick a female Brazilian swimmer at the World Aquatics Championships in Russia. In 2013 he drove a Porsche without a license into a bus. Nobody was hurt.

"I don't think we need to care too much about what the Australian says," said Yang according the Associated Press. "I've got a gold medal and my world ranking. I don't need to prove myself anymore."

The ‘drug cheat’ line cost Horton — on social media, at least. The Aussie swimmer’s Instagram page was flooded after he won his country’s first gold medal in Rio with comments seeking an apology from the 20-year-old.

Best of all, Yang and Horton have a chance to meet in the pool again on Saturday. Yang will attempt to defend his 1500m from London, and Horton will try to snatch another medal out from under him.