Chinese swimming Olympic champ Pan Zhanle, 20, was one of the breakout stars of the Paris Olympics and he currently holds the world record in the Men’s 100m freestyle.
Zhanle was recently in Singapore to compete in the third and final leg of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, and he continued his reign in the 100m freestyle. He also won bronze in the 200m and 400m freestyle events.
A video of Zhanle returning to the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy hotel in Marine Parade after the competition on November 2 has gone viral on Xiaohongshu, with many pointing out how “tired” he looked.
The short clip, which saw him walking from the coach to the escalator, was captioned: “Lele is visibly very tired. There were many guys, presumably athletes themselves, shouting like crazy upon seeing him. I want to cry. This kid looks really tired.”
At one point, Zhanle is seen using what looks like a yoga mat to shield his face from the prying cameras.
There were many netizens who shared the same sentiments, with some saying that their “heart really ached” when they saw him looking so exhausted.
A netizen wondered if Zhanle was able to try local delicacies such as bak kut teh or frog leg porridge, but was told that the athletes have a strict diet.
Some also guessed that Zhanle “wasn’t in a good mood”.
Perhaps, he just needed some rest?
Despite his rise to fame, Zhanle is known to remain super lowkey, even disabling his only official fan group on Sina Weibo in August, seemingly in response to negative fan culture.
During his recent stop in Singapore, he told The Straits Times: “I’m not used to the fame and attention of being a star swimmer. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it in my lifetime. Because we started off as normal people, it’s not like I was born a winner.”
It seems like the young Olympic champ is fiercely protective of his privacy, and maybe he simply needs some time away from the public eye.
Photos: CNA, Xi/ Xiao Hong Shu