Pan Zhanle

In this Chinese name, the family name is Pan.

Pan Zhanle (Chinese: 潘展乐, born 4 August 2004) is a Chinese freestyle swimmer, Olympic champion, and current world record holder of the 100 metre freestyle event. In 2023, Pan became the first swimmer in history to have all three achievements of reaching sub-22 seconds in the 50 metre freestyle, sub-47 seconds in the 100 metre freestyle, and sub-1:45 in the 200 metre freestyle. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, he won gold in the 100 metre freestyle, breaking his own world record in the process.

Pan Zhanle

Pan at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Personal information
National team	China
Born	(2004-08-04) 4 August 2004 (age 20) Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Height	190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Zhejiang Province Swim Team
Medal record Men's swimming Representing  China Olympic Games 2024 Paris 100 m freestyle 2024 Paris 4×100 m medley 2024 Paris 4×100 m mixed medley World Championships (LC) 2024 Doha 100 m freestyle 2024 Doha 4×100 m freestyle 2024 Doha 4×200 m freestyle 2024 Doha 4×100 m mixed freestyle 2023 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley Asian Games 2022 Hangzhou 100 m freestyle 2022 Hangzhou 4 × 100 m freestyle relay 2022 Hangzhou 4 × 100 m medley relay 2022 Hangzhou 200 m freestyle 2022 Hangzhou 400 m freestyle 2022 Hangzhou 4 × 200 m freestyle relay 2022 Hangzhou 50 m freestyle

Career

Early career

In 2019 at 15 years old, Pan made his first major competition debut at the 2019 Chinese Summer LC Swimming Championships. He competed in the 1500 metre freestyle, winning with a time of 15:33.48.^[1]

At the 2020 Chinese Olympic Team Trials, Pan placed second in the finals of the 100 metre freestyle with a time of 48.74 seconds, finishing just 0.03 seconds behind He Junyi. He also competed in the 200 and 400 metre freestyle events.^[1]

In 2021, Pan competed at the Chinese Summer Nationals and National Games of China. In both competitions, he competed in the 50, 100, and 400 metre freestyle events. At the National Games, he finished third in the 100 metre freestyle with a personal best time of 48.59 seconds.^[1]

International debut and breakthrough

At the age of 17, Pan made his international debut at the 2021 FINA SC World Championships. He swam in the 200, 400, and 800 metre freestyle relay events, helping China place fifth in all three events. Individually, Pan finished eleventh in the semifinals of the 100 metre freestyle.^[1]

Pan finished in fourth in the 100 metre freestyle final in the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, with a time of 47.79.^[2] His time of 47.65 at the semifinals, however, equalled the Chinese record set by Ning Zetao in 2014.^[3]

At the 2022 FINA SC World Championships in Melbourne, Pan finished tied sixth in the 100 metre freestyle. With a time of 45.77 seconds, he became the Asian record holder in this short course event.^[1]

At the 2023 Chinese National Championships, Pan set a new Asian record of 47.22 seconds in men's 100 metre freestyle, which was previously held by South Korean swimmer Hwang Sun-woo.^[4] With a time of 1:44:65, Pan also became the second Chinese male swimmer in history to break the 1:45 barrier in 200 metre freestyle after Sun Yang.^[5]

At the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Pan finished in fourth in the 100 metre freestyle final with a time of 47.43.^[6] As the anchor log, Pan helped China win a silver medal in the men’s 4x100 metre medley relay by splitting a 46.62.^[7]

Pan first broke the 47-second barrier for the long course 100 metre freestyle at the 2022 Asian Games (held in 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). With a time of 46.97 seconds, Pan became the fifth man in history to achieve this milestone as well as breaking his own Asian record.^[8] He also won a silver medal in 200 metre freestyle and a bronze medal in 50 metre freestyle.^[9][10] During the games, Pan became the first swimmer in history to have all three achievements of reaching sub-22 seconds in the 50 metre freestyle, sub-47 seconds in the 100 metre freestyle, and sub-1:45 in the 200 metre freestyle.^[11] Pan's performance also helped the Chinese team break the Asian record in men's 4x100 metre freestyle relay.^[12] The Chinese men's 4x100 metre medley relay team, anchored by Pan, produced a winning time of 3:27.01 collectively, which was the second-fastest in history.^[13]

Pan broke the world record for the first time at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. His swim in the leadoff leg enabled the Chinese team to win the gold medal at men's 4x100 metre freestyle relay, and his time of 46.80 broke the world record in 100 metre freestyle, previously held by Romanian swimmer David Popovici, by 0.06 seconds.^[14] Pan also won the individual 100 metre freestyle race.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Pan won gold in the 100 metre freestyle. With a time of 46.40 seconds, he broke his own world record in the process. His margin of victory, 1.08 seconds, was the largest in this event since the 1928 Olympics, and his 0.40-second improvement on the world record was the biggest leap since 1976.^[15] In the men’s 4x100 meters medley final, Pan's performance helped the Chinese team win the gold medal, delivering the first defeat to the United States in this event since it was included in the Olympic program at the 1960 Olympics.^[16] As the anchor leg, he entered the water with his team in third place but overtook the swimmers from the United States and France in the final 100 meters, finishing with the fastest split in history in the men’s 100 m freestyle, clocking a 45.92, and securing the winning time of 3:27.46; beating the previous world's fastest split-time set by Jason Lezak's 46.06 anchor leg swim in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, in which Lezak and team made use of the high-tech swimwear.^{[16][17][18][19][20]}

Physical attributes

According to a Weibo post from Pan on February 29, 2024, his height is currently 189.5 cm, and his arm span is 190.5 cm.^[21]

Personal bests

Long course (50-meter pool)

Event	Time	Meet	Date	Note(s)
50 m freestyle	21.92	2022 Asian Games	September 25, 2023
100 m freestyle	46.40	2024 Paris Olympics	July 31, 2024	WR
200 m freestyle	1:44.65	2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships	May 4, 2023
400 m freestyle	3:45.58	2024 Chinese National Swimming Championships	April 19, 2024
800 m freestyle	7:59.15	2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships	May 5, 2023
1500 m freestyle	15:33.48	2019 Chinese Summer National Swimming Championships	June 14, 2019
50 m butterfly	25.90	2023 Chinese Spring National Swimming Championships	March 19, 2023
100 m butterfly	1:01.87	2019 Asian Age Group Championships	September 25, 2019
200 m individual medley	2:02.99	2020 Chinese National Swimming Championships	October 1, 2020
400 m individual medley	4:34.40	2019 Asian Age Group Championships	September 25, 2019

Short course (25-meter pool)

As of November 4, 2024^[22]

Event	Time	Meet	Date	Note(s)
50 m freestyle	21.54	2022 Chinese National Championships	October 27, 2022
100 m freestyle	45.77	2022 World Championships	December 15, 2022	AS
200 m freestyle	1:41.59	2024 World Cup	November 2, 2024	NR
400 m freestyle	3:36.43	2024 World Cup	October 24, 2024
800 m freestyle	7:35.30	2024 World Cup	October 26, 2024	WC, NR
100 m individual medley	53.10	2022 Chinese National Swimming Championships	October 27, 2022

Key: WR = World Record; AS = Asian Record; NR = National Record; WC = World Cup record

Records

Long course (50 m)

No.	Event	Time		Meet	Location	Date	Age	Type	Status	Ref
1	100 m freestyle	47.22		2023 Chinese Championships	Hangzhou, China	1 May 2023	18	AS (not ratified)	Former	[23]
2	4×100m freestyle relay	3:11.38 (47.67, 1st leg)		2023 World Aquatics Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	23 July 2023	18	AS	Former	[24]
3	4×100m medley relay	3.29.00 (46.62, 4th leg)		2023 World Aquatics Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	30 July 2023	18	AS	Former	[25]
4	100 m freestyle	46.97		2022 Asian Games	Hangzhou, China	24 September 2023	19	AS	Former	[26]
5	4×200m freestyle relay	7:03.40 (1:44.77, 4th leg)		2022 Asian Games	Hangzhou, China	25 September 2023	19	NR	Former	[27]
6	4×100m medley relay	3:27.01 (46.65, 4th leg)		2022 Asian Games	Hangzhou, China	26 September 2023	19	AS	Current	[28]
7	4×100m freestyle relay	3:10.88 (47.06, 1st leg)		2022 Asian Games	Hangzhou, China	28 September 2023	19	AS	Current
8	100 m freestyle (1st leg)	46.80	r	2024 World Aquatics Championships	Doha, Qatar	11 February 2024	19	WR, AS	Former	[29]
9	4x200m freestyle relay	7:01:84 (1:43:90, 3rd leg)		2024 World Aquatics Championships	Doha, Qatar	16 February 2024	19	NR	Current	[30]
10	4x100m mixed freestyle	3:21.18 (47.29, 1st leg)		2024 World Aquatics Championships	Doha, Qatar	17 February 2024	19	AS	Current	[31]
11	100 m freestyle (1st leg)	46.92	r	2024 Summer Olympics	Paris, France	27 July 2024	19	OR	Former	[32]
12	100 m freestyle	46.40		2024 Olympic Games	Paris, France	31 July 2024	19	WR, OR, AS	Current	[33]

Short course (25 m)

No.	Event	Time		Meet	Location	Date	Age	Type	Status	Ref
1	100 m freestyle	45.77		2022 World Swimming Championships	Melbourne, Australia	15 December 2022	18	AS	Current	[34]
2	800 m freestyle	7:35.30		2024 Swimming World Cup	Incheon, South Korea	26 October 2024	20	NR	Current

Key: NR = National Record ; AS = Asian Record ; WJ = World Junior Record; WR = World Record ; OR = Olympic Record ; h = heats; sf = semifinal ; r = Relay

References

1. "Pan Zhanle Bio". SwimSwam. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
2. De George, Matthew. "World Championships: David Popovici Adds 100 Free Title in Thrilling Race". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
3. Sun, Xiaochen. "Medals flow as China shows pool prowess". China Daily. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
4. De George, Matthew. "Pan Zhanle Blasts 47.22 to Set Asian Record in the Men's 100 Freestyle". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
5. Race, Retta. "18-YR-OLD PAN ZHANLE'S 1:44.65 PUTS SUN YANG'S 200 FREE CHINESE RECORD ON NOTICE". Swim Swam. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
6. Byrnes, Liz. "World Championships, Day 5 Finals: Kyle Chalmers Claims Elusive Prize With Late Surge In 100 Free". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
7. Rieder, David. "World Championships, Day Eight Finals: United States Breaks Through With Dominant Men's Medley Relay Win". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
8. Race, Retta (24 September 2023). "China's Pan Zhanle Rips 46.97 100 Free As 5th Fastest Performer Ever (Video)". SwimSwam. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
9. Race, Retta. "HWANG SUNWOO BEATS PAN ZHANLE FOR 200 FREE ASIAN GAMES GOLD – 1:44.40". Swim Swam. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
10. Race, Retta. "KOREA'S JI YUCHAN SCORES 50 FREE WIN IN NEW RECORD OF 21.72 AT ASIAN GAMES". Swim Swam. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
11. Penland, Spencer (25 September 2023). "2023 Asian Games: Day 2 Finals Live Recap". SwimSwam. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
12. Race, Retta. "2023 ASIAN GAMES: PAN ZHANLE'S 47.06 OPENER ROCKETS CHINA TO 4×100 FREE RELAY RECORD". Swim Swam. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
13. Race, Retta. "2023 ASIAN GAMES DAY THREE: CHINA RIPS 3:27.01 AS #2 MEN'S MEDLEY RELAY ALL-TIME". Swim Swam. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
14. "Pan swims record 100m as China wins relay gold". ESPN.com. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
15. "Pan Zhanle of China breaks own world record to win Olympic gold medal in men's 100-meter freestyle". AP News. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
16. "Swimming: China end US reign over men's 4x100 medley relay". Reuters. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
17. Tansey, Joe. "Olympic Swimming 2024: Men's 4x100M Medley Relay Medal Winners, Times, Results". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
18. Pelshaw, Anya (4 August 2024). "Faster Than Lezak, Pan Zhanle Splits 45.92 100 Freestyle To Anchor China To Gold". SwimSwam. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
19. Crouse, Karen (12 August 2008). "A Swim for the Ages by a Team's Oldest Racer". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 August 2024. Lezak is an enigma wrapped in a high-tech swimsuit. He trains alone but wants to be part of a group in competition. He was second at the United States Olympic trials in the 100-meter freestyle, which he will swim here Tuesday, but has built his reputation in relays... From a rolling start, Lezak covered the first 50 meters in 21.50 and came back in 24.56. His 46.06 was the fastest split ever and 1.3 seconds better than his previous best in a relay. "I'm still in shock," Lezak said. "I don't know exactly how I was able to bring it home that fast."
20. Keith, Braden (10 December 2023). "The 'Jason Lezak' Relay Is Now the Oldest World Record in Swimming". SwimSwam. Retrieved 10 August 2024. The World Record... Grant Hackett's, was set on July 20, 2008, and at 5,621 days, was the oldest FINA/World Aquatics World Record still on the books. So that begs the question – what is the new oldest World Record? That honor now belongs to the US Men's 400 Free Relay World Record of 3:08.24, which was set on August 11, 2008. That record, the famous "Jason Lezak anchor" relay, is 5,599 days old. Besides Lezak, that relay included Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, and Cullen Jones.
21. Pan, Zhanle. "my height 189.5". weibo.com. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
22. "FINA personal best results".
23. Race, Retta (May 1, 2023). "18-Yr-Old Pan Zhanle Blasts 47.22 100 Free Asian Record (Video)". SwimSwam. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
24. "Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final Results" (PDF). Omega Timing. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
25. "Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Final Results" (PDF). Omega Timing. 30 July 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
26. "Men's 100m Freestyle Final Results" (PDF). hangzhou2022.cn. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
27. "Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final Results" (PDF). hangzhou2022.cn. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
28. "Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Final Results" (PDF). hangzhou2022.cn. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
29. "Men's 4x100m Freestyle" (PDF). Omega Timing. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
30. "Men's 4x200m Freestyle results" (PDF). 16 February 2024.
31. "Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final Results" (PDF). Omega Timing. 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
32. "Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay" (PDF). 27 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
33. "MEN'S 100M FREESTYLE FINAL RESULTS". Olympics. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
34. "Men's 100m Freestyle Final Results" (PDF). Omega Timing. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2023.

External links

• Pan Zhanle at World Aquatics
• Pan Zhanle at SwimRankings.net
• Pan Zhanle at Olympics.com
• 潘展乐 at Weibo
• Pan Zhanle at instagram

Records
Preceded by David Popovici	Men's 100-metre freestyle world record-holder (long course) 11 February 2024 – present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Ning Zetao	Men's 100-metre freestyle Asian record-holder (long course) 27 July 2023 – present	Succeeded by Incumbent