China’s Pan Zhanle wins men’s 100m freestyle world title

China’s Pan Zhanle won the men’s 100 metres freestyle title at the World Championships in Doha on Thursday.

The 19-year-old came home in 47.53s, 0.19s ahead of Italian Alessandro Miressi with Hungarian Nandor Nemeth third, 0.25 behind. It was the first individual medal at a World Championship for Pan.

Pan set a new world record of 46.80 leading off as China won the freestyle relay on Sunday after a blazing first lap of 22.26. This time he was more conservative, turning in 22.55, but was still in first, just ahead of Miressi.

In the evening’s opening final Britain’s Laura Stephens went to the front early in the women’s 200 butterfly and won in 2:07.35, holding off a late challenge from Denmark’s Helena Rosendahl Bach who finished 0.09s back. Lana Pudar of Bosnia was third.

Claire Curzan won her second individual backstroke gold in Doha as she added the 50m title to her 100m crown. The podium on Thursday was the same as in the 100m, the 19-year-old American winning the sprint in 27.43, out-touching Australian Iona Anderson by 0.02. Ingrid Wilm of Canada was third.