Voicing Frustrations Against Parents’ Struggles, Pan Zhanle Opens Up on Swimming World Cup Experience: “Troublesome”

The 2024 Paris Olympics were a whirlwind for fans and athletes alike. But no one walked away happier than Pan Zhanle, who secured 2 golds in his debut on the world’s biggest stage. He stunned swimming fans at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha with a blistering world record of 46.80 in the 100m freestyle. “I wasn’t expecting to break it – I wanted to leave it for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris,” the 20-year-old stated in a post-race interview. 

However, the swimmer didn’t anticipate he would do it all over again in the French capital. During the 100m freestyle finals, he effortlessly clinched a shiny gold with his blistering 46.40 seconds. Not only did he set a new world record, but he was also the first to do so in the sport at the Games. The Olympian led from the start and touched the wall an entire second ahead of Kyle Chalmers. This was also the nation’s first-ever medal at the event.

Pan Zhanle made a big splash in the global swimming scene. This week, the Chinese swimmer competed in the first leg of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Shanghai. On day 1, he locked horns with 4x Olympic gold medalist Léon Marchand and Noe Ponti in the 100m M at the SPD BANK Oriental Sports Centre. But much to his dismay, his parents weren’t in the stands cheering him on. “It will be troublesome for my parents and grandad [to come and watch me compete] when they get too old to walk, and I [go overseas for competitions regularly],” he told the South China Morning Post.

The swimmer’s parents couldn’t make it to Paris to watch him smash the 100m freestyle record. But this time, things were different. He reiterated, “This competition is in Shanghai, which isn’t too far from my home, so it’s a good opportunity [for them to see me].” However, he experienced yet another roadblock. Finding tickets for his family was not as easy as he anticipated. “But the ticker is really tough to get; they can’t get them at all. We called everyone and many friends to help them,” Pan Zhanle confessed.

It was all for nothing. So, how did the swimmer fare throughout the rest of the competition? 100m M wasn’t the only event he contested in. After clinching a gold in the 100m freestyle in Paris, he was the crowd favorite at the World Cup. However, it wasn’t meant to be. Thomas Ceccon swooped in with a blistering 46.32 seconds, and Zhanle was just 0.03 seconds slower. With 46.35 seconds on the clock, he had to settle for a second-place finish. But the swimmer believes he is paving the path for something more fruitful. What is it?

Pan Zhanle is looking to change the course of swimming

At the tender age of 19, the swimmer turned heads with his stellar performance. However, this doesn’t come easy. Not only does it take hard work, but having the right guidance could possibly make a huge difference. Even though he is now a 2x Olympic gold medalist, the 20-year-old has set up a massive goal for himself. No, it’s not about chasing more glory. It is about helping others who want to achieve the same as him. 

Pan Zhanle wants to inspire children to dip their feet in the pool and build a career in the sport. The Olympian had recently pulled the curtain back on how kids aren’t able to excel in sports due to a severe lack of guidance. This often leads to the inability to differentiate between right and wrong. The swimmer understands what that’s like because he dealt with the same uncertainty during his training period. The 20-year-old was in great need of guidance, but he didn’t have anyone to help.

To ensure the future generation doesn’t go through the same situation as him, the swimmer partnered up with Zhang Yufei to train children in the swimming clinic in Shanghai. He recently opened up about needing a mentor to help one grow and upskill. “When I was young, I needed a role model, or a goal, in order to have more confidence or more motivation,” he confessed. He once struggled with low confidence.

Even though he had to navigate through it, he is actively working towards eradicating this for the youth. The 20-year-old recently participated in one of the events at a swimming clinic, where he spoke to 31 upcoming athletes, taking them through his experiences and journey. “The aim is to inspire the next generation and redefine how training is approached in the country,” he reiterated. The swimmer has proved his mettle on the world’s biggest stage; not having his parents by his side made for a bittersweet experience.