Pan Zhanle Falls Short of Breaking Wang Shun's Record at FINA World Cup

"I didn't expect to break the record," Wang Shun said in a post-race interview, still beaming with pride. "I just wanted to do my best and see what happened. Having such great opponents and a fantastic crowd made the competition even more exciting."

Pan Zhanle, who finished with a personal best time, was gracious in defeat. "My goal was to break Wang Shun's record of 51.62 seconds," he revealed. "But even though I managed to swim close to that time, Wang Shun went and broke his own record! It's like life - there's always someone else who can come along and break the record. So I won't be disappointed. I'll just keep working hard and doing my best."

As the two athletes reflected on their performances, Wang Shun turned his attention to his future goals. "Next, I'll be focusing on high-altitude training and periodized training," he said. When asked what areas he needed to improve on as an experienced athlete, Wang Shun surprisingly replied, "I want to improve my English skills! That's my goal for next year."

The camaraderie between Pan Zhanle and Wang Shun was palpable, with Pan Zhanle praising Wang Shun's performance and Wang Shun offering words of encouragement to his fellow athlete. As they left the pool deck, it was clear that this was more than just a competition - it was a celebration of their passion for swimming and their dedication to their craft.

Wang Shun shared his secrets on how to maintain a competitive edge as a seasoned athlete in an exclusive interview. He humbly attributed his success to a combination of factors, including a great venue, enthusiastic spectators, and strong opponents. "I just tried to do my best, given the excellent conditions and the high level of competition," he said.

Pan Zhanle echoed this sentiment, saying "My goal was still 51.62 (Wang Shun's original record), but Wang Shun ended up breaking his own record. Life is like that, and the 100m individual medley is like that too. If I don't break the record, someone else will. So, I won't be disappointed. I'll just keep working hard and doing my best."

Wang Shun also revealed that he hopes to upgrade his English level, joking that it will be one of his goals for the upcoming year. For Wang Shun, a seasoned athlete and veteran of the sport, it's a refreshing change of pace to focus on something outside of the pool. While he continues to push himself to new heights in the water, he recognizes the importance of developing his language skills, particularly in a sport that is increasingly global.

As he prepares to take on new challenges in the pool, Wang Shun's commitment to learning English is a testament to his dedication to self-improvement and his desire to stay ahead of the curve.

Pan Zhanle, meanwhile, is already eyeing his next challenge. Despite falling short of his initial goal to break Wang Shun's record, Pan remains undeterred and committed to continuous improvement. To bridge the gap between himself and top-tier athletes, Pan has identified critical areas for enhancement. High-altitude training is likely to be a key component of Pan's upcoming regimen, a strategy commonly employed by elite athletes to boost endurance and increase red blood cell count.

In addition to high-altitude training, Pan is also focused on refining his techniques, particularly in areas such as starts and turns. By investing time and effort into these aspects, Pan hopes to shave precious seconds off his times and remain competitive on the world stage.

While Wang Shun's record-breaking performance may have upped the ante, Pan Zhanle remains resolute in his pursuit of excellence. With a clear plan in place, Pan is poised to take his training to new heights, both literally and figuratively.