Pan Zhanle’s Paris Olympics 100m freestyle world record slammed by Aussie swim guru Brett Hawke

An ‘angry’ Australian swim coach has spoken out against an astonishing 100m freestyle world record from China’s Pan Zhanle at the Paris Olympics, branding it ‘not real’ after he demolished Kyle Chalmers.

Well-known Australian swim coach Brett Hawke says Pan Zhanle’s stunning 100m freestyle world record swim is “not humanly possible”, as he led the international disbelief among some at a performance for the ages.

As the world digests Pan winning the sprint event in an astonishing 46.40s and by more than one second to nearest rival Kyle Chalmers, Hawke spoke out on what he sees as a performance that “is not real”.

Hawke did not specifically address the elephant in the room, which is China’s recent allegations of doping cover-ups that have included multiple swimmers but not Pan himself. The World Anti-Doping Agency has backed China’s handling of swimmers who have tested positive, and Pan said after his world record: “Last year I received 29 tests and never had a positive. From May to July, I had 21 tests, no positive.”

But Hawke says that after his 30-year career in swimming, he found it hard to believe the performance he saw at the Paris Olympics.

An overview shows China’s Pan Zhanle (C) as he wins the 100m freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympics, in world record time and by a vast margin over Australia’s Kyle Chalmers (R). Picture: AFP

Hawke was an Australian Olympic sprint freestyler himself, who later went on to a coaching career and was the mentor for Brazil’s Cesar Cielo, was the first man to break 47 seconds for the 100m freestyle, during the supersuit era.

So for Hawke to see a 19-year-old obliterate that time by more than half a second and embarrass the world’s best sprinters by more than a second, he is beyond upset.

“Listen, I’m just going to be honest, I am angry at that swim,” Hawke posted on Instagram.

“Look I’m angry for a number of reasons. Look my friends are the fastest swimmers in history from Rowdy Gaines to Alex Popov to Gary Hall Jr, Anthony Irvin and all the way up to King Kyle Chalmers. I know these people intimately, I’ve studied them for 30 years.

China's Pan Zhanle reacts after winning gold and breaking the world record in Olympic 100m final. Picture: AFP

“I’ve studied this sport. I’ve studied speed. I understand it. I’m an expert in it, that’s what I do okay.

“I’m upset right now because you don’t win 100 freestyle by a body length on that field. You just don’t do it.

“It is not humanly possible to beat that field by a body length.

“I don’t care what you say. This is not a race thing, this is not against any one particular person or nation, this is just what I see and what I know.

“That’s not real, you don’t beat that field. Kyle Chalmers, David Popovici, Jack Alexy, you don’t beat those guys by one full body length in 100 freestyle. That’s not humanly possible okay so don’t sell it to me, don’t shove it down my throat. It’s not real.”

Yet Pan’s fellow medallists, Chalmers and teenager David Popovici, accepted the Chinese sprinter’s performance without question.

“For him to produce a 46.40 and break the world record in the Olympic final is incredible,” Chalmers said.

“I do everything I possibly can to win the race, and guess everyone’s doing the same as I am and staying true to the sport and integrity of sport.

“I trust that’s he’s done everything he possibly can to be there. And he deserves that gold medal. And I did everything I possibly could to challenge for that gold medal.”

China's Pan Zhanle is congratulated by Aussie Kyle Chalmers after a historic 100m freestyle swim in Paris. Picture: AFP

Asked if he thought it was a fair race, Popovici refused to cast judgement and had earlier claimed the time of 46.40s was only scratching the surface of what he thought was possible.

“Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That’s all I have to say,” he said.

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“I think we can go even faster. There are people now alive and who are swimming who can do it. It’s just a matter of putting it together and doing it at the right moment. And I think it’s very possible, even faster.

“This is only motivation for us. I mean, we can’t be mad, we can only congratulate him. This is what sports is.”

However in the aftermath, Pan speaking with Chinese television accused Chalmers of ignoring him earlier in the Olympic meet, to which Chalmers responded.

“I find it a bit weird, I gave him a fist pump before the relays … and then my focus went to my teammates and my own racing. We had a laugh together at warm down last night - but no issues from my end,” said Chalmers.