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Asian Games 2026: China’s Pan Cements Status as Global Freestyle Swimming King
By Toshiaki Obitsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer14:17 JST, September 24, 2026
China’s 22-year-old Pan Zhanle stands as one of the premier figures in competitive swimming today.
Pan edged out South Korean rivals in a fierce battle to claim the gold in the men’s 100-meter freestyle on Sunday, the opening day of the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, holding off a formidable South Korean challenge in a neck-and-neck showdown.
His winning time of 47.61 seconds was 1.21 seconds off his own world record set in Paris, with Pan commenting, “It has been a while since I last dipped below 48 seconds.”
“It was slightly off what I was aiming for, but more than anything, I’m just happy I won,” he said.
The victory secured his second consecutive gold in the event at the Games.
Pan shares a close friendship with third-place finisher Hwang Sunwoo of South Korea. When the two met up at the Games, they told each other that they’ve gotten older and already become veterans.
“He’s 23 and I’m 22. With so many other swimmers born in 2006 or 2007, we’re actually among the older ones,” Pan said.
As he has matured, his perspective on the sport has shifted. “I used to place so much weight on results. These days, it’s simply about enjoying the sport and having no regrets,” he said.
He has bagged two Olympic golds and one silver, along with four golds and two silvers at the world championships.
“I’ve never thought of myself as particularly talented. In sports, victory and defeat are inevitable. Of course, winning is fantastic, but I also learn from losing,” he noted.
At the heart of the Chinese swim squad’s gold rush at the Games stands this unstoppable sensation.
