At the 2024 Olympics held in Paris, Chinese swimmer Zhanle achieved a remarkable victory in the men's 100m freestyle event, setting a new world record with a time of 46.40 seconds. This achievement marks the most significant margin of victory in this event since the 1928 Amsterdam Games, leaving his closest competitor, Kyle Chalmers, trailing by 1.08 seconds, while David Popovici, the previous world record holder, finished even further behind.
Zhanle's strategy for the race was meticulously planned. He had previously set a world record of 46.80 seconds at the World Championships in Doha earlier this year, and he aimed to exceed that mark during the Olympics. In an interview prior to the Games, Zhanle hinted at his potential to break his own record but kept his exact intentions under wraps, suggesting that he wanted to keep his rivals guessing about his true capabilities.
In preparation for the Olympics, Zhanle focused on enhancing his endurance rather than just speed, which proved beneficial in the final stretch of the race. His training regimen included a mix of aerobic exercises and technical improvements to his underwater technique. At just 20 years old, Zhanle has already established himself as a world champion and Olympic gold medalist, with aspirations to further improve his performance in future competitions.