Chinese Swimmer Pan Zhanle Sets New World Record, Criticizes Aussie and American Rivals

China’s Pan Zhanle made a splash at the Paris Olympics, claiming victory in the men’s 100-meter freestyle by setting a new world record with a time of 46.40 seconds. This impressive feat saw him beat the previous record he set at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, earlier this year. His victory, however, was accompanied by a pointed critique of his competitors, Australian Kyle Chalmers and American Jack Alexy.

Pan celebrated his win as a major triumph for himself and Team China, stating, “Today I finally beat them all. In such a challenging pool, I broke the world record. This is a tremendous performance and a great start for team China.” Yet, he quickly turned the spotlight on Chalmers and Alexy, accusing them of unsportsmanlike behavior.

In an interview, Pan recounted, “When I finished the 4×100 freestyle relay the other day, I said ‘hi’ to Chalmers, but he totally ignored me. Also, [Jack] Alexy from the U.S. When we were training, our coach was standing by the poolside and he turned in such a way that the water splashed right onto the coach. I felt he looked down on us a little.”

Chalmers, who secured the silver medal with a time just over a second behind Pan, responded to the accusations, expressing confusion over Pan’s remarks. “I find it a bit weird. I gave him a fist pump before the relays … and then my focus went to my teammates and my own racing. We had a laugh together at warmdown last night, but no issues from my end,” Chalmers explained.

Alexy, who finished seventh in the race, chose not to comment on Pan’s allegations.

The Chinese swim team has faced significant scrutiny leading up to the Paris Olympics due to past doping controversies. Several athletes tested positive for banned substances in 2021 but were still allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games. China has consistently attributed these positive tests to “contaminated food.”

Despite the tension, Chalmers acknowledged Pan’s achievement, saying, “For him to produce a 46.40 and break the world record in the Olympic final is incredible. I do everything I possibly can to win the race, and I guess everyone’s doing the same as I am and staying true to the sport and integrity of sport. I trust that he’s done everything he possibly can to be there. And he deserves that gold medal. And I did everything I possibly could to challenge for that gold medal.”

American distance swimmer Katie Ledecky also weighed in on the importance of clean competition, noting, “I hope everyone here (in Paris) is going to be competing clean this week. But what really matters also is: Were they training clean? Hopefully, that’s been the case. Hopefully, there’s been even testing around the world.”

Pan’s record-breaking performance and subsequent comments have added an extra layer of drama to the Olympics, highlighting the intense rivalries and ongoing concerns about fairness and sportsmanship in international competition.

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