{"id":593213,"date":"2024-07-30T11:52:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T18:52:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=593213"},"modified":"2024-07-30T14:21:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T21:21:29","slug":"paris-olympics-day-4-semifinals-pan-zhanle-bounces-back-blasts-through-to-100-freestyle-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/paris-olympics-day-4-semifinals-pan-zhanle-bounces-back-blasts-through-to-100-freestyle-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Paris Olympics, Day 4 Semifinals: Pan Zhanle Bounces Back, Blasts Through to 100 Freestyle Final"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paris Olympics, Day 4 Semifinals: Pan Zhanle Bounces Back, Blasts Through to 100 Freestyle Final<\/strong><\/p>\n

In his first Olympic final,\u00a0Pan Zhanle<\/strong> led off China’s 400 freestyle relay with a dramatic Olympic record, beating the time Caeleb Dressel<\/strong> swam on his way to gold in the event three years ago, and putting his team eight tenths clear of the field, although China could not hold on for a medal. But Pan’s fortunes quickly turned as he did not advance out of the 200 free prelims and then he barely snuck into the top-16 in the 100 free.<\/p>\n

After the semifinal round, consider Pan back in pole position for gold as he claimed the top qualifying mark. Swimming in the second semifinal heat in lane eight, Pan overtook American\u00a0Jack Alexy<\/strong> and held off charging Romanian David Popovici<\/strong> to reach the wall first in 47.21. Pan, who will not turn 20 until the last day of the Olympic swimming competition, owns the world record at 46.80, set at the World Championships earlier this year in Doha.<\/p>\n