Haiyang dreams of winning the All China Swimming Championship. In 1968, Haiyangs 12th year, the Cultural Revolution is in full bloom. His school is closed and his father dies of a heart attack while being arrested. Haiyang and his mother move to the countryside to start a new life.Despite the set back, Haiyang trains in preparation for his schools reopening. A few years pass and just when he thinks he may achieve his dream, Gao Ming (a former friend and classmate) steps in. He steals Haiyangs girlfriend, Bai Ling, and through political coercion via his father forces Haiyang to change to 1500mm swimming style. Gaoming takes the medals in their subsequent competitions, but Haiyang never loses hear and trains to the point of exhaustion. His efforts pay off when he beats Gao Ming to the finish line, winning a major competion.The Cultural Revolution comes to a close, leaving Haiyang with a new freedom. Gao Mings political pressure no longer exists, and Haiyang must search his heart for his true swimming style. Should he continue in the new style he learned under Gao Mings coercion or return to the style he had before? His heart resides in challenging Gao Ming, but fate offers new challenges that he must overcome.
