Swimming World Cup: Pan Zhanle suggests forming relay team that includes Hong Kong’s best | South China Morning Post

Nov 02, 2024

Swimmers from mainland and city have formed friendly bonds over the 3 legs of the World Cup – including Zhang Yufei and her ‘good friend’

China’s swimmers have formed a strong bond with their Hong Kong counterparts at the Swimming World Cup, with Zhang Yufei celebrating her friendship with “the one who gives gifts” and Pan Zhanle suggesting he would like to form a relay team with the city’s swimmers.

Hong Kong sent 20 swimmers to compete across the Shanghai, Incheon and Singapore legs of the competition, which started on October 18 and ends on Saturday, with athletes as young as 15 competing in finals alongside China’s star-studded squad of Olympians and world record holders.

When asked by the Post if he had any interaction with the Hong Kong squad, the 20-year-old Pan brushed over mentioning any exchanges he had, instead saying the relationship had to be good.

“We are originally one; Hong Kong is part of China, so the relationship must be good. I also hope Hong Kong can return to China as soon as possible and form a relay [team] together,” Pan said.

When Hong Kong returned to China in 1997, a deal between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed the city to compete as a separate sporting entity under “one country, two systems”.

Siobhan Haughey, who has four Olympic medals to her name and is the only Hong Kong swimmer to make it to an Olympic final, would be the most likely candidate to join Pan’s dream team.