World Record Holder Pan Zhanle Exits 100m, 200m Freestyle Early at Singapore Worlds

At the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Pan Zhanle, the world-record holder and reigning Olympic champion in the 100m freestyle, failed to advance to the finals in both the 100m and 200m freestyle events. He finished 10th in the 100m semifinals with a time of 47.81 and 22nd in the 200m prelims with 1:47.46, significantly off his personal bests and expectations. Pan expressed confusion and dissatisfaction with his performances, noting that his form felt different and that he was not in good shape for these races. Despite his struggles in individual events, he showed competitive splits in relay races, indicating his overall form may not be poor. His absence from the 100m final was notable, especially with competitors like American Jack Alexy setting an American record and Romanian David Popovici posting strong times. Pan's efforts to extend his range into the 200m freestyle have yet to yield success at this international level, but he remains focused on improving and not letting these results affect his upcoming races.