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  • Category: Sport

After winning the men's 100m freestyle final at the Paris Olympics, Chinese swimming star Pan Zhanle said that he had been ignored when he greeted foreign athletes before, but now he has avenged himself, "those who looked down on us have been defeated today."

According to China Central Television News, Pan Zhanle touched the wall first in the men's 100m freestyle final of the Paris Olympics in 46.40 seconds, winning the first gold medal for the Chinese swimming team in this Games and setting the first swimming world record of the Paris Olympics.

Pan Zhanle said in an interview after the game: "We have avenged our previous shame! Those who looked down on us, we beat them all today. We broke the world record in such a difficult pool. I held my breath, and I felt everyone's hope just before I entered the water."

Pan Zhanle revealed that he had greeted Australian player Chalmers after swimming the relay race, "He completely ignored me." He also said, "When we were training, the American players deliberately splashed water on our coach, as if they looked down on us."

After the interview clip of Pan Zhanle was leaked, "Pan Zhanle and Chalmers were ignored when they greeted each other" and "Pan Zhanle said that Americans looked down on us a little bit" and other related terms quickly became hot searches on Weibo. Chinese netizens praised Pan Zhanle's attitude of "saying whatever he wants", while others condemned foreign athletes for lacking sportsmanship and "looking down on others".

Public information shows that the 19-year-old Pan Zhanle joined the Zhejiang Provincial Swimming Team in December 2018 and is currently the world record holder for the men's 100-meter freestyle.