At the Chinese National Swimming Championships in Shenzhen, fans witnessed an electrifying showdown in the men\"s 400m freestyle. World record holder Pan Zhanle clocked a personal-best of 3:45.34, outpacing fierce rivals including former Olympic gold medalist Sun Yang and top qualifier Fei Liwei.
Despite finishing third in the preliminaries, Pan turned adversity into triumph. Leading after the first 100 meters, he briefly fell behind around the 250m mark before surging in the final 50 meters to reclaim first place and grab the gold. Pan admitted, \"I didn\"t expect to win this race. This victory is a big boost for my confidence.\" 💪🏊♂️
In a display of enduring passion, Sun Yang shared, \"I\"m really happy to be here. I swim for myself and my family.\" His words remind us that even after 20 years in the pool, the spirit of competition remains young.
The championships also saw a record-breaking moment in the women\"s 400m freestyle, where Li Bingjie shattered the Asian record by breaking the four-minute barrier with an impressive 3:59.99 finish. This milestone performance sets a vibrant tone for the sport and inspires the next generation of swimmers. 🌟
Reference(s):
Pan wins men's 400m freestyle gold at National Swimming Championships
cgtn.com
