Photo Credit: Reuters
On Day 5 of the Paris 2024 Olympics, China’s Pan Zhanle set a new world record in the men’s 100m freestyle, becoming the first swimmer to achieve such a feat in the competition.
The 19-year-old phenom clocked an impressive 46.40 seconds, eclipsing his own record from the World Championships in Doha earlier this year. His stellar performance secured him the gold medal and left his competitors astounded.
“I gave my all to achieve the best result, and breaking the world record was a delightful surprise. It felt like a magical moment,” Pan said through a translator.
Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, who won silver, was 1.08 seconds behind Pan. David Popovici, who took bronze, finished just 0.01 seconds behind Chalmers.
Pan’s remarkable start was evident as he completed the first 50 meters in 22.28 seconds, establishing a commanding lead over his rivals.
Despite recent controversies involving China’s swim team, Pan remained unaffected. Reports in April had revealed that 23 Chinese athletes tested positive for a banned heart medication but were cleared due to contamination. Further issues arose from a New York Times report about two Chinese swimmers testing positive for a banned steroid in 2022, also with contamination excuses. Pan, who has been tested over 20 times recently, maintained that the scrutiny did not impact his performance.
“The testing was conducted according to all regulations, so I don’t feel it had any effect on my performance,” Pan stated.
Chalmers, the gold medalist from Rio 2016, earned his second silver in this event and his eighth Olympic medal overall, having previously finished second to Caeleb Dressel in Tokyo. He also overcame a back injury and coaching changes leading up to the Games.
“Although it didn’t turn out exactly as I hoped, winning a silver medal is still a great achievement,” Chalmers reflected.
Popovici, who held the world record before Pan’s Doha performance, added a bronze to his 200m freestyle gold from Paris.
