Olympic Games: Kyle Chalmers hits back at ‘weird’ Pan Zhanle as drug cheat allegations erupt after world record win in Paris

Kyle Chalmers says it’s ‘weird’ to be accused of snubbing China’s freestyle gold medallist Pan Zhanle at the Paris Olympics.

The Australian collected the silver medal behind Pan, who broke his own world record in the men’s 100m freestyle final on Wednesday night.

The Chinese swimmer then claimed Chalmers had disrespected him.

‘After we finished the 4x100m freestyle relay on the first day, I greeted Chalmers but he completely ignored me,’ Pan told Chinese media.

‘This also included the US team’s (Jack) Alexy. When we trained, our coach was on the deck, and someone did a flip turn and splashed water directly on the coach.

‘This behaviour seemed a bit disrespectful to us.

‘But we beat all of them and broke the world record in such a difficult pool.’

Chalmers was bemused by Pan’s comments.

Chalmers finished second behind the Chinese star in the 100m men’s freestyle final

‘I find it a bit weird, I gave him a fist pump before the relays,’ Chalmers said on Thursday.

‘And then my focus went to my teammates and my own racing.

‘We had a laugh together at warm down last night, but no issues from my end.’

Chalmers has vowed to keep swimming after the Paris Games, dismissing speculation he’ll retire after extending his remarkable record at the Olympics.

‘This is not my last individual (event), I am not retiring any time soon,’ the 26-year-old said after stepping off the Paris podium.

‘I love it. I think I will continue on as long as I possibly can.’

Pan set the first world record at the Paris pool, clocking 46.40 seconds, 0.40s inside his previous benchmark, a time Chalmers described as ‘crazy’.

China’s team has been under increasing scrutiny since revelations 23 of their swimmers tested positive to a banned substance before the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

Pan was not in the group of 23, which was allowed to compete in Tokyo after world anti-doping authorities accepted China’s explanation the swimmers had eaten contaminated food at a team hotel.

Chalmers was diplomatic about Pan’s achievement in Paris.

Zhanle has faced drug cheating allegations following his impressive win in Paris

‘I do everything I possibly can to win the race and trust everyone’s doing the same as I am, staying true to the integrity of sport,’ he said.

‘I trust that … he (Pan) deserves that gold medal.’

Romania’s David Popovici, who took the bronze medal in the 100m freestyle, was similarly pragmatic.

‘I think we can go even faster, there are people now alive and who are swimming who can do it,’ Popvici said post-race.

‘It’s just a matter of putting it together and doing it at the right moment and I think it’s very possible, even faster.

‘This is only motivation for us.

‘I mean, we can’t be mad, we can only congratulate him. This is what sports is.

‘Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.’