Zhang Zhanshuo (, Pinyin: Zhāng Zhǎnshuò, born 14 May 2007) is a Chinese swimmer. He became the fastest swimmer aged 16 or under in history in the 400 m individual medley at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Championships. He won the gold medal in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships. In 2026, he swam the fastest 200 m freestyle relay split in history, recording 1:42.92 as the anchor leg of China's gold-medal-winning team at the 2026 Asian Games. He also set a record for the most swimming gold medals won by an athlete at a single edition of the Asian Games, winning seven.
Career
2023 season
In September 2023, at the age of 16, Zhang competed in the World Junior Championships. In the 800 m freestyle, he won bronze with a time of 7:50.03. In the 400 m individual medley, he won silver with a time of 4:12.44, becoming the fastest age 16 and under swimmer in history in the 400-meter individual medley. In the 1500 m freestyle, he won bronze with a time of 15:11.94.
2024 season
In February 2024, Zhang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he anchored in 1:45.80 to help China win the gold medal.
2025 season
In July 2025, Zhang competed in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he anchored in 1:44.20 to help China claim the silver medal. Their clocking of 7:00.91 also marked a new Asian Record.
In September, Zhang participated in the Chinese National Championships. In the 400 m freestyle, he ripped a new lifetime best of 3:42.99 to win gold, establishing a new World Junior Record.
In November, at the National Games of China, Zhang swept the individual freestyle races spanning the 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m. In the 400 m freestyle, he fired off a new World Junior Record of 3:42.82 en route to gold. In the 200 m freestyle, he ripped a new lifetime best of 1:44.86. In the 800 m freestyle, he touched in a time of 7:46.69. In the 1500 m freestyle, he touched in 14:52.73.
2026 season
In March 2026, at the China Open Swimming Championships, Zhang again swept the individual freestyle races. In the 200 m freestyle, he crushed a new lifetime best of 1:44.53. In the 1500 m freestyle, he put up a new personal best of 14:51.93. In the 400 m freestyle, he busted out a career-swiftest performance of 3:41.55. In the 800 m freestyle, he notched a fourth personal best time of 7:44.45.
In September, Zhang competed in the Asian Games. In the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, he anchored China's gold-medal-winning team, swimming a split of 1:42.92, the fastest 200-metre freestyle relay split with a flying start in history, to help China overcome a 1.89-second deficit to Japan and finish with a time of 7:00.17, breaking the Asian record. In the 1500 m freestyle, he touched in 14:42.42 for a new lifetime best. In the 200 m freestyle, he scorched a lifetime best of 1:43.49, breaking Hwang Sun-woo’s Asian record of 1:43.92. In the 800 m freestyle, he clocked 7:42.49 for a new Asian Games record, overtaking the 7:46.03 Kim Woo-min notched in 2023. Just minutes after his 800 m freestyle victory, Zhang headed to the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, splitting 47.65 on the third leg to help China win the gold and set a new Asian record. On the final day of swimming, Zhang took the 400 m freestyle with a time of 3:41.28, overtaking the Asian Games record of 3:41.53 Park Tae-hwan set in 2010 and completing his sweep of seven gold medals. He became the first swimmer in history to win seven golds at a single Asian Games. After his final race, he said, "Today feels like a perfect conclusion".
Personal best times Long course metres (50 m pool) Event Time Meet Location Date Notes Ref 100 m freestyle 48.23 2026 Asian Games Tokyo, Japan 20 September 2026 200 m freestyle 1:43.49 2026 Asian Games Tokyo, Japan 23 September 2026 AS, NR 400 m freestyle 3:41.28 2026 Asian Games Tokyo, Japan 25 September 2026 800 m freestyle 7:42.49 2026 Asian Games Tokyo, Japan 24 September 2026 1500 m freestyle 14:42.42 2026 Asian Games Tokyo, Japan 22 September 2026 200 m individual medley 01:58.59 2025 China Spring National Championships Qingdao, Shandong, China 21 March 2025 400 m individual medley 04:11.86 2025 Chinese National Championships Shenzhen, Guangdong, China 24 May 2025
Records Long course metres (50 m pool) No. Event Time Meet Location Date Age Type Status 1 400 m freestyle 3:42.82 2025 National Games of China Shenzhen, China 10 November 2025 18 WJR Current 2 200 m freestyle 1:43.49 2026 Asian Games Tokyo, Japan 23 September 2026 19 AS, NR Current
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