Olympic Champ Mack Horton Spills On Terrifying Family Threats After Sun Yang Protest Drama on ONDA LA

LA Dreams and Dark Realities: Mack Horton’s Shocking Revelation

Hey, LA fam, let’s dive into some heavy waters. Australian swimming star Mack Horton, an Olympic gold medallist, just dropped a bombshell about the terrifying backlash his family endured after he took a stand against Chinese swimmer Sun Yang at the 2019 World Championships in South Korea. Known for his no-filter vibe, Horton refused to share the podium with Sun Yang, calling him out as a “drug cheat” - and boy, did that stir up some serious waves.

Now, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, Horton’s spilling the tea on the Dos and D podcast about how that protest turned his life upside down. We’re talking break-ins at his Melbourne pad while he was overseas, shards of glass and concrete chucked into his backyard pool, and straight-up creepy followers snapping pics of his fam at the market. Six years later, and the drama still hasn’t cooled off - even his wife, Ella Walter, is catching heat.

This ain’t just a splash in the Hollywood gossip pool - it’s a full-on tidal wave of real fear for Horton, who’s now 29 and just trying to keep his loved ones safe. He’s gone full “intentionally sheltered” mode, dodging the spotlight to protect his crew. But with the LA Games coming up, you know this story’s gonna keep making waves on the West Coast.

From Podium Protest to Personal Nightmare

Rewind to July 2019 in Gwangju, South Korea, where Horton made global headlines by straight-up refusing to pose with Sun Yang after a race. This wasn’t just a petty beef - Horton’s been vocal about Sun’s doping history since 2016, when he first called him out before the Rio Olympics. That podium snub was the ultimate SoCal-style shade, and it hit hard.

But the fallout? Way darker than a Malibu sunset. Horton shared that right after the protest, while he was still competing abroad, his family home got broken into. Then came the online hate storm - death threats and vicious messages flooding in for both him and Ella. It’s the kinda mess that’d make even the toughest Venice Beach surfer wanna hide out.

“I just wanted to stand up for what’s right, but I never expected my family to pay the price - it’s been a nightmare that won’t end,” Horton confessed on the podcast.

The Sun Yang Saga: Doping Drama That Won’t Quit

Let’s break down the beef for those not caught up on swimming’s juiciest scandal. Sun Yang, now 32, has been in hot water for years over doping violations. Back in 2014, he served a three-month ban, but the real chaos dropped in 2018 when testers showed up at his place for a surprise drug test. Reports say his team claimed the testers weren’t legit, and one of his crew even smashed a vial of his blood with a hammer to keep it from being tested. Wild, right?

By February 2020, the Court of Arbitration for Sport slapped Sun with an eight-year ban, later cut down to four years and three months on appeal. Now, he’s eyeing a comeback for the 2028 LA Olympics, but experts are skeptical - at his age, pulling off a return in the City of Angels might be a bigger stunt than anything on a Hollywood set.

Meanwhile, Horton’s keeping it low-key, focusing on family over fame. But with Sun possibly back in the pool by the time the Games hit LA, you can bet this rivalry will heat up faster than a Santa Ana wind. Stay tuned, SoCal - this poolside drama’s got more twists than Mulholland Drive.