Chinese media, social media users back Pan Zhanle against claims his record-breaking 100m swim not 'humanly possible'

China's Pan Zhanle breaks world record, faces doping allegations, and receives support from state media and netizens.

China's state media, athletes and netizens rallied to support Olympic swimming champion Pan Zhanle after critics including an Australian swim commentator said his world record swim in the 100 metres freestyle was not "humanly possible".

Pan smashed his own 100 metres freestyle world record, shaving 0.40 seconds off the previous mark he set at the World Championships in Doha in February, to humble rivals including Australia's Kyle Chalmers and Romania's David Popovici.

ALSO READ: Paris Olympics day 7 LIVE updates

The 19-year old Pan finished in 46.40 seconds to take China's first swimming gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. His win came after he "completed rigorous doping test programs prior to and during the games with zero positive results," the China Daily said on Friday.

Pan said he took 21 doping tests from May to July prior to the games. "I cooperated with all the testing procedures and stayed confident that I am competing fair and clean," he told the newspaper.

"I did a lot of aerobics and endurance training to strengthen my push and kick in the final split. We have also adopted a scientific underwater monitoring and analysing system to review our techniques and strokes, so that we can train better and more effectively."

Australian coach and commentator Brett Hawke posted on his Instagram that "It's not humanly possible to beat that field" and that the swim was "not real life. Not in that pool, against that field."