Two years ago, Pan Zhanle was celebrated in the sprinting world. Just days before turning 20, he dominated the Olympic final in the men's 100m freestyle with a world-record victory, finishing more than a second ahead of the competition. Pan clocked in at 46.40, which was four-tenths of a second faster than his own world record set just six months earlier.

Pan's Olympics got off to a disastrous start as China missed the men's 400 free relay podium, and Pan bombed out of the 200 free prelims. The day before he broke his world record, Pan was 13th in the 100 free prelims, a hundredth out of being eliminated. 

Ironically, he swam exactly two seconds faster in his superb final performance, and then capped his games with a record-breaking 45.92 relay split, earning China the men's medley relay title and defeating the U.S. its first-ever Olympic loss in the event.

But when he tried to add another world title in 2025, Pan came up short. In an historic 100 free semifinal round in which 13 men cracked 48 seconds, Pan finished 11th in 47.81, a full 1.41 seconds off his world record. 

That was not just one poor meet, as Pan was never faster than 47.77 all season. He did win a silver medal with China's 800 free relay, but that was his only time on the podium. When he anchored China in the prelims of the men's medley relay, Pan delivered a pretty average 47.76 split, and the team ended up finishing ninth.

Now is his opportunity to rebound and perhaps grab his spot back atop the 100 free world. Pan will swim this week at the Asian Games in Tokyo, where he will be one of the most decorated, well-known athletes present. The 100 free kicks off his meet on Sunday before Pan swims the 200 free and highlights China's relays later in the program.

One can imagine that Pan's rivals from around the world will be watching his times very carefully in the coming days. Naturally, those competitors have improved mightily since that Olympic race, when Australian Kyle Chalmers took silver with a 47.48. Six men went faster in the final at the European Championships alone, with three men clocking sub-47s.

Written by

Lakshya