While some in the swimming community have called into question Pan Zhanle‘s world record in the 100 freestyle on Wednesday, his competitors are coming to his defense.
The 19-year-old from China clocked a winning time of 46.40, crushing his own global standard of 46.80 from February for the biggest world record drop in this event since 1976 — and the first world record of the meet in what has been dubbed a “slow” pool due to its shallow depth. Pan beat Australia’s Kyle Chalmers (47.48) by 1.08 seconds, the largest margin of victory in an Olympic 100 free final since 1928.
“I think 46.4 changes swimming, for sure,” British sprinter Ben Proud said on Thursday. “It’s a huge drop, it’s fantastic, and it shouldn’t be questioned. It was a great swim by a good athlete and all the other stuff should be taken care of behind the scenes by the people who are in charge. I mean, we sat and watched and just thought, ‘Wow.’
“I’m not going to swear,” said Proud, who tied for the top qualifying spot in the 50 free (21.38) on Thursday, “but it was just a phenomenal swim and to do that in the final against the best in the world winning by a second is something you won’t see very often.”
After earning his third consecutive Olympic medal in the 100 free, Chalmers told reporters that he trusted Pan’s swim and that he “deserves that gold medal.” Romanian 19-year-old David Popovici, who won bronze in 47.49, chimed in that “everyone is innocent until proven guilty.” Popovici previously held the world record at 46.86 from 2022 and already has his sights on Pan’s new target.
“Pan smashed the race. Massive props to him,” Popovici said. “That only means that we’re going to try harder and work harder. If we work harder than him, maybe we win gold. I think making an even faster time than Pan’s is possible. There are people alive now and swimming who can do it. It’s just a matter of putting it together and doing it at the right moment.”
Pan was not one of the 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine in 2021, a case that was cleared by the World Anti-Doping Agency due to food contamination. He has been tested 21 times so far this year, according to World Aquatics’ database.
“Last year I received 29 tests, and it has never been positive,” Pan said. “I was tested after the race and we will see the result.”
HE WON BECAUSE AFTER BREAKING RECORD IN HIS 100 METRE SWIM IN RELAY IN DOHA.HE HAD CHANCE TO BREAK RECORD AT THE OLYMPICS.AND HE TOOK THE CHANCE AT THE INDIVIDUAL 100 METRES AND HE BROKE THE RECORD IN A POOL THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY SLOW.BEING A YOUNG MAN LIKELY HE WILL BREAK THIS RECORD AGAIN .GOOD LUCK TO HIM IN FUTURE,🙈🙉🙊🙌
Classy. One thing that has really stood out to me this Olympics is what stand-up people these athletes seem like. Just a lot of good sportsmanship and good will toward each other, at least on the surface. I’m sure things bubble up that we don’t see, but everyone holds it together pretty well and been graceful in both victory and defeat.
The perfect equilibrium has been found
https://swimswam.com/pan-zhanle-breaks-olympic-record-with-46-92-100-freestyle-lead-off-in-mens-4×100-free-relay/#comment-1432475
Dude has been tested 50 times in 2 years. I think that’s more than some of the greatest swimmers have been tested in their whole lives.
Suddenly thought of this, who would win a hypothetical 150 freestyle between Pan and Popovici?
I think Pan will win it, although the margin would be very small.
Please note that Pan has swum 3:45 in 400 and he was initially a distance swimmer.
The guy definitely has the aerobic base (or else he would’ve come home in a 26 and not 24), but he doesn’t seem like he’s a master at strategy. Took a while for him to figure out the perfect equilibrium in this 100, and he’s not even close in the 200 right now.
Brett sobbing every time one of these aerobic beasts crushes everyone in the 100 free.
Chalmers being the much bigger person than Pan. I know he’s still a teenager but Chalmers in 2016 would never have said the things Pan said.
Loser can say goodbye to his career now.
Chalmers is one of three sprinters to win 100 free medal in 3 Olympics (1 gold, 2 silver), after Duke Kahanamoku and Alexander Popov.
Chalmers is the only active swimmer who always medaled in individual 100 free international competition ever since he won 100 free at 2015 Worlds Junior in Singapore. Not even Dressel did it.
Chalmers has won Olympics, World LC, World SC, Commonwealth, Pan Pacs, broke 100 free SCM WR, anchor Australia relays from hopeless place to medal position including 4×100 free gold in Fukuoka.
He immediately congratulations Pan after 100 free final and never talked badly against Pan.
I don’t think he’s a loser.
Oh by the way, his career in not over. He has confirmed he… Read more »
Chalmers is definitely a class act through and through, but based on things Chalmers has said Pan told him, and the way Pan talks about him so much and is kind of fixated on him, I wonder if there in some… I don’t want to say “fanboying” because it’s sounds infantilizing, but I wonder if he is kind of ribbing Chalmers in a way that is playful to him but is getting lost in translation?
I’m a pan fan but I would say no, nothing got lost in translation. He took the ignoring personally but it’s obvious chalmers just didn’t hear him. I think given the context of the interview, minutes after he won, he was emotional and probably has been sensitive to other nations swimmers looking down on Chinese swimmers. You also have to understand Pan’s personality. He is media trained but he is quite blunt and honest and speaks his mind, He gives pretty funny interviews. He wasn’t thinking about how the media would blow up over it in that exact moment. At least that’s my take on it.
That makes sense. Admittedly, I don’t know much about Pan’s personality and media style. I just saw that someone who speaks Chinese and listened to it without needing it translated posted that it was a misunderstanding.
Thanks for your insights. I think that’s what happens: a misunderstanding.
Chalmers just swam his fastest relay split and one of the fastest relay split ever to bring Australia 4×100 free to silver. He was probably in the zone and bubble and didn’t really notice Pan was trying to congratulate him and Pan took it personally. Which I don’t blame Pan since the whole situation flamed by the media.
Well, we talked about the cowbell thing for a long time, so this will take us until the Worlds.
David Popovici is an amazing sport.
I put 46.40 on the same pedestal as Mary T Meagher 2:05.96, Janet Evans 4:03.85, Egerszegi 2:06.62, Ian Thorpe 3:40.08, Sjostrom 24.43, Peaty 56.88, Milak 1:50.34, Ledecky 8:04.79, Leon Marchand 4:02.50
It’s transcendental and it’s generational.
It’s awe inspiring.