The 19-year-old’s time of 46.40 seconds shaved an incredible 0.40 seconds off his previous mark set at the World Championships in Doha in February when he announced himself to the world with a stunning relay leadoff swim.

Australia’s silver medallist Kyle Chalmers finished a yawning 1.08 seconds behind the incredible Pan, while David Popovici finished a further 0.01 second behind for the bronze.

There was no easing in for Pan who took off like a rocket and mowed down the opening 50m in an outrageous 22.28 seconds.

The Chinese sensation blew any hopes Chalmers and Popovici might have had of catching him out of the water as he stretched his lead and flew to the wall.

A doping storm has followed China’s swim team to Paris after revelations in April that 23 Chinese athletes had tested positive for a banned heart medication but were allowed to swim at the Tokyo Games. China said the athletes were victims of contamination from a hotel kitchen, and an independent review backed the World Anti-Doping Agency’s handling of the case.

China was then plunged back into the spotlight on Tuesday after the New York Times reported that two swimmers in 2022 had tested positive for a banned steroid but had provisional suspensions lifted when the results were also blamed on contaminated food.

Teenager Pan rose above the acrimony, however, to earn his first Olympic gold medal some five months after winning the world title.

Chalmers, the gold medallist at Rio 2016, took his second silver in the event, having finished runnerup behind Caeleb Dressel at the Tokyo Games.

Popovici, who previously held the world record before Pan took it at Doha, added the bronze to his 200m freestyle gold medal at Paris.