After eclipsing the world record in the 100 free leading off the 400 free relay earlier in the week, all eyes were on China’s Pan Zhanle to see if he could do it again in the finals of the 100 free at the 2024 World Championships in Doha.
It wasn’t quite a world record, but Pan bested the field to earn the gold medal with a time of 47.53.
In the relay leadoff on Sunday, Pan went a 46.80.
Pan had a reaction time of 0.63 then was first to the 50-meter mark a 22.55 before closing in 24.98 to earn the world title.
Italy’s Alessandro Miressi had the slowest reaction time at 0.71 and was fourth at the turn with a 22.82 before using a 24.90 final split to surge to the silver medal, finishing in 47.72.
Hungary’s Nandor Nemeth took the bronze in 47.78. He was second at the turn in 22.66 but was passed by Miressi on the final 50.
Great Britain’s Matthew Richards finished fourth in 47.82, followed by South Korea’s Hwang Sun-Woo (47.93), Serbia’s Andrej Barna (48.02). USA’s Matt King and China’s Wang Haoyu tied for seventh at 48.06.
He led the relay off in 46.80 not 46.90. Yet again another time mistake for Pan!