Mack Horton’s dad has revealed his son’s only regret after he made a bold protest at the World Swim Championships overnight.

Horton finished second in the 400-metre freestyle final in South Korea behind Chinese arch-rival and drug cheat, Sun Yang.

But upon receiving his silver medal, the Olympic gold medalist refused to share the podium with Yang, who is again under investigation for doping.

Earlier this year, Sun Yang allegedly smashed vials of blood samples with a hammer in front of anti-doping testers following an out-of-competition test.

In 2014, Sun was banned for three months by the Chinese Swimming Association after testing positive to a stimulant, which had been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list four months earlier.

After last night’s race, Yang claimed to be honoured and proud to win a record fourth-straight world title and expects Horton’s actions to be perceived as disrespecting China.

But Mack’s father Andrew Horton tells Ben Fordham there’s only one person his son is afraid he may have disrespected.

“His only regret over the last 24 hours… is he actually might have taken some of the attention away from one of the greatest swims ever, which was Ariarne Titmus in the 400.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Tasmanian teenager Ariarne Titmus did what few thought possible by defeating US champion Katie Ledecky to claim the 400m freestyle.

Legendary duel between Australia’s Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky of USA in the Women’s 400m Freestyle! Titmus overtaking Ledecky with only a few meters to go, winning in 3:58.76. All the action live on 💻 https://t.co/bEozhdW5qV #FINAGwangju2019 #Swimming #FINA pic.twitter.com/xknw7yMLxH

— FINA (@fina1908) July 21, 2019