PUBLISHED: August 2, 2024, 16:42
HONG KONG – Support has surged for Olympic swimming champion Pan Zhanle in China after remarks from a swim commentator suggested his world record swim in the 100 meters freestyle was beyond human capability.
Pan obliterated his previous 100 meters freestyle world record, beating his time by 0.40 seconds, previously set at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year, and outpacing formidable competitors such as Australia’s Kyle Chalmers and Romania’s David Popovici.
The 19-year-old Pan clocked in at 46.40 seconds, securing China’s first gold medal in swimming at the Paris Olympic Games. Remarkably, he has undergone extensive doping tests leading up to the games, with no positive results reported, according to local sources.
Staying resolute, Pan stated he completed 21 doping tests from May to July ahead of the event. “I complied with all the testing procedures and remained confident about competing fairly,” he noted.
“My training included rigorous aerobic and endurance work to enhance my swimming techniques. We also utilized a scientific underwater monitoring system to refine our methods and improve performance,” he added.
Controversial comments from an Australian coach suggested it was “not humanly possible” to succeed in such competitive circumstances, which ignited discussions on social media platforms like Weibo, where many Chinese netizens expressed pride in Pan’s achievements.
Gold medallist Zhanle Pan poses for a selfie on the podium with silver medallist Kyle Chalmers and bronze medallist David Popovici.
The Chinese swimming team faced intense criticism after reports emerged that numerous swimmers tested positive for a banned substance in 2021, yet were still allowed to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed findings from a Chinese investigation attributing these results to contamination, affirming no misconduct occurred by the governing body.
Pans’ name was notably absent from the negative reports concerning other swimmers. China’s media emphasized that their athletes underwent more testing in a matter of weeks than many foreign competitors did in an entire year, highlighting the stringent measures in place.
In response to inquiries regarding the scrutiny of Chinese athletes, swimmer Zhang Yufei, who earned bronze in the women’s 200-meter butterfly, remarked, “Why are Chinese athletes questioned when they swim so fast? Why wasn’t there a similar doubt when Phelps was winning?”
