Paris Olympics: Kyle Chalmers’ Chinese rival Pan Zhanle accuses the Aussie of a VERY unsportsmanlike act as storm erupts after world record win

China’s Pan Zhanle has accused Kyle Chalmers of snubbing him as he lashed out after winning the men’s 100m freestyle race at the Paris Olympics with a stunning world-record swim. 

The 19-year-old broke his own mark by 0.4 of a second to smash Chalmers, who got silver with a stirring comeback after being last at the turn – then backflipped on his retirement plans.

‘After we finished the 4x100m freestyle relay on the first day [of the Games] I greeted Chalmers but he completely ignored me,’ Pan said in comments made to Chinese media after his golden swim.

‘This also included the US team’s [Jack] Alexy.

‘When we trained, our coach was on the [poolside] deck and someone did a flip turn and splashed water on him.

‘This behaviour seemed a bit disrespectful to us.

‘But today we beat all of them and broke the world record in such a difficult pool. It was an extraordinary performance.’ 

Sated by silver, Kyle Chalmers believes his Chinese conquerer is drug-free after the Australian swim ace was beaten to another Olympic title in Paris.

The 19-year-old also claimed he got the same treatment from American swimming star Jack Alexy – then said one of the Chinese coaches was splashed with water in a ‘disrespectful’ act

Asked after the race if he was worried about Pan’s stunning swim being tainted by rumours Chinese swimmers have been doping, the Aussie was clear-cut in backing his rival. 

‘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,’ silver medallist Chalmers said.

‘I trust that … he [Pan] deserves that gold medal.’

China’s team has been under increased scrutiny since revelations 23 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.

In Paris, Pan clocked 46.40 seconds, 0.40s inside his previous benchmark, to win with a time Chalmers (47.48) described as ‘crazy’.

The Chinese star set a stunning world record as he finished a second ahead of Chalmers (pictured with his silver medal) – but the Aussie later said he trusts that there was no doping involved in the incredible swim 

‘It’s a time I never dreamed or saw as possible,’ Chalmers said.

‘The last 15 metres … I thought I could be dead last because he was so far ahead of me.’

Chalmers now has consecutive Olympic silver medals to follow his 2016 gold in the blue riband event.

His compatriot Zac Stubblety-Cook also won silver on Wednesday night in an attempted defence of his men’s 200m breaststroke title.

And it took an Olympic record by French megastar Leon Marchand to beat him.

Stubblety-Cook finished in the wake of Marchand, who collected two gold medals within an hour amid raucous support from his parochial home crowd at the La Defense Arena.

‘It didn’t feel like a swim meet, it felt like a rugby game … you can’t hear yourself think,’ Stubblety-Cook said.

Marchand triumphed in the 200m butterfly before his breaststroke victory and the Parisian now has three golds medals at his home-town Games.

In Wednesday night’s women’s 100m freestyle final, Australia’s pre-race favourite Mollie O’Callaghan (fourth) and compatriot Shayna Jack (fifth) missed the medals.

‘I expected a lot more,’ O’Callaghan said.

‘But at the end of the day you’ve got to suck it up and wait another four years.’