August 01, (THEWILL) – China’s Pan Zhanle broke his own 100-meter freestyle world record at the Paris Olympics, winning gold with a time of 46.40 seconds. The 19-year-old swimmer from Wenzhou shaved 0.40 seconds off his previous mark set at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year. Pan’s victory came amid controversy surrounding China’s swim team, with recent doping allegations casting a shadow over their performance.
Australia’s Kyle Chalmers claimed silver, finishing 1.08 seconds behind Pan, while Romania’s David Popovici took bronze. Pan’s explosive start saw him complete the first 50 meters in 22.28 seconds, leaving his competitors trailing. The young swimmer expressed surprise at breaking the world record, calling it a “magical moment.”
The victory comes against a backdrop of doping concerns. In April, it was revealed that 23 Chinese athletes had tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Tokyo Games. China attributed this to contamination from a hotel kitchen. More recently, the New York Times reported that two Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned steroid in 2022, with their provisional suspensions lifted due to claims of contaminated food.
Pan addressed the issue of doping tests, stating he had been tested more than 20 times in recent months. He maintained a diplomatic stance, saying the testing was done according to regulations and did not affect him. Meanwhile, Chalmers, the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medalist, overcame personal challenges including a back injury and a change of coach to take his second silver in this event.
The Paris Olympics continue to deliver world-class performances, with Pan’s record-breaking swim highlighting the intense competition in the pool.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
