Pan Zhanle Wins 800-Meter Free World Cup Record

Pan Zhanle won the 800-meter freestyle event at the 2024 Swimming World Cup with a record time of 7:35.30. He beat the previous record of 7:35.58 set by Olympian Gabriele Detti in 2017.

What happened at the World Cup?

Pan Zhanle faced strong competition from Korea's Kim Junwoo, who led for more than half of the race. But Pan surged at the 600 meters mark and claimed the podium finish. Kim Junwoo won silver with a time of 7:39.15, nearly a four-second difference.

Pan Zhanle's training and performance

Pan's training is similar to the 800-meter event, which helped him perform his best in the 25-meter pool. He said it was an honor to win this title and he was in good condition for the event.

Previous wins and records

This win comes after Pan claimed his first World Cup gold in the 400-meter freestyle on the first day in Incheon with a time of 3:36.43. Duncan Scott of Great Britain placed second in 3:37.04. Pan's record-breaking performances were not unexpected, given his focus on long-distance events.

Team China's medal count

Team China leads the medal table with 7 gold medals claimed in Korea, followed by the United States with 7 gold medals. Regan Smith and Kate Douglass contributed to the US medal count. Pan Zhanle's win in the 800-meter freestyle event contributed to China's lead in the medal table. He also set a world record in the 100-meter free in February. Pan's teammate Qin Haiyang won the gold in the 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:02.57. Qin led the event for much of the race despite Australia's Joshua Yong's efforts. Yong and Netherlands' Caspar Corbeau placed second and third in 2:02.73 and 2:03.44, respectively. Qin's win in the 200-meter breaststroke was his first gold in the event. He claimed silver in Shanghai waters with a better performance, finishing the 200-meter event in 2:01.92.