Chinese swimmer Pan Zhanle made history at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sunday by becoming the first Asian athlete to break the 47-second barrier in the 100 meters freestyle. Pan secured the gold medal with an impressive time of 46.97 seconds, positioning himself as a significant contender in this prestigious event just one year before the Paris Olympics.
Despite his outstanding achievement, the 19-year-old swimmer expressed a hint of disappointment, saying, “I think it was so-so. I had my eyes on the world record. To miss it by 0.11 seconds is quite a pity. The Asian record doesn’t feel like something extraordinary. This is something I should get.”
The current world record of 46.86 seconds is held by another 19-year-old prodigy, Romanian David Popovici.
Pan’s victory highlighted the opening day of swimming events, where China dominated by securing all seven titles in the pool and a total of 20 out of 31 gold medals across various competitions.
Notable performances also included Wang Shun, the Olympic men’s 200 meters individual medley champion, who claimed gold with a time of 1 minute 54.62 seconds, ranking him as the third-fastest swimmer in the event behind Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Olympic 200 meters butterfly champion Zhang Yufei secured a gold medal in her specialty event with an Asian Games record time of two minutes and 5.57 seconds.
North Korea, making its return to international multi-sport events after the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, saw judoka Chae Kwangjin win a bronze playoff in the 60-kg division. Chae’s medal win marked North Korea’s presence at the Hangzhou Asian Games, as their athletes marched behind their national flag during the opening ceremony, despite its banishment from major international competitions except the Olympics due to anti-doping concerns.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which oversees the Games, defended the decision to allow North Korea’s participation, with acting OCA President Randhir Singh emphasizing the importance of inclusivity.
The Hangzhou Asian Games, originally scheduled for the previous year but postponed due to COVID-19, features over 12,400 athletes from 45 nations competing for 481 gold medals across 40 different sports. Esports made its debut as a medal event, and cricket’s return to the Games has garnered significant attention, particularly with India bringing men’s and women’s teams for the first time.
While China has taken extensive measures to ensure a smooth event, diplomatic tensions have caused some disruptions, including a visa issue that prevented three Indian wushu athletes from competing. The OCA is currently addressing this politically charged matter with local organizers. Despite these challenges, the Hangzhou Asian Games remain a significant and historic sporting event in Asia.
