China’s Pan Zhanle made history on Wednesday at Paris’ La Défense Arena by winning the gold medal in the men’s 100-meter freestyle and breaking the world record he set earlier this year. This marks the first world record to be established in the pool during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Pan achieved a remarkable time of 46.40 seconds, surpassing his previous world record of 46.80 seconds, set at the world championships in Doha in February. Australia’s Kyle Chalmers secured the silver medal with a time of 47.48 seconds, while Romania’s David Popovici took home the bronze with a time of 47.49 seconds. Team USA’s Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
The 19-year-old Zhanle’s victory was part of a significant day in the pool, highlighted by Team USA’s Katie Ledecky winning gold in the women’s 1500-meter freestyle. Additionally, France’s Leon Marchand achieved an unprecedented Olympic double by winning gold in both the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter breaststroke.
