By Ian Ransom
PARIS (Reuters) -China's Pan Zhanle obliterated his own 100 metres freestyle world record at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday as he took an astonishing gold medal in the event and humbled a slew of champion rivals.
The 19-year-old sensation's time of 46.40 seconds shaved an incredible 0.40 seconds off his previous mark set at the World Championships in Doha in February when he announced himself to the world with a stunning relay leadoff swim.
"I tried my best to get the best result. I was very surprised in the end that I broke the world record and it was a magical moment," Pan told reporters through a translator.
Australia's silver medallist Kyle Chalmers finished a yawning 1.08 seconds behind Pan, while David Popovici finished a further 0.01 second behind for the bronze.
There was no easing in for Pan who took off like a rocket and mowed down the opening 50 metres in an outrageous 22.28 seconds.
He crushed any hopes Chalmers and Popovici might have had of catching him as he stretched his lead and flew to the wall.
A doping storm has followed China's swim team to Paris after revelations in April that 23 Chinese athletes had tested positive for a banned heart medication but were allowed to swim at the Tokyo Games. China said the athletes were victims of contamination from a hotel kitchen, and an independent review backed the World Anti-Doping Agency's handling of the case.
China was then plunged back into the spotlight on Tuesday after the New York Times reported that two swimmers in 2022 had tested positive for a banned steroid but had provisional suspensions lifted when the results were also blamed on contaminated food.
Wenzhou native Pan rose above the acrimony, however, to earn his first Olympic gold medal some five months after winning the world title.
He said he had been tested more than 20 times over the past few months but trod a diplomatic path when asked whether it had affected him.
"The testing was essentially done under all the regulations, so I don't feel there was any difference or influence," he said.
Chalmers, the gold medallist at Rio 2016, took his second silver in the event and eighth medal at Olympics, having finished runnerup behind Caeleb Dressel at the Tokyo Games.
Chalmers overcame a back injury before Olympic trials and a change of coach after his former one Peter Bishop was stood down in March after an undisclosed investigation.
"I've been swimming the same race plan for the last eight years, and it's worked pretty well for me. It almost worked well for me. I guess tonight to get a silver medal still was amazing," said Chalmers.
Popovici, who previously held the world record before Pan took it at Doha, added the bronze to his 200m freestyle gold medal at Paris.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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