Tokyo: While preparing for his first race of the Asian Games on Saturday, South Korean swimmer Kim Young-beom took a moment to observe Pan Zhanle, the Chinese swimmer who set the world record in the men's 100-meter freestyle.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Pan will attempt to defend his 100m freestyle gold medal on Sunday, the opening day of the swimming events, following his record-setting performance of 46.34 seconds at the Paris Olympics two years prior. Kim, who holds the national record at 47.39 seconds, acknowledged the significant time gap but remained optimistic about his prospects.

"Just by watching him train, I could see what makes him so great, but I was not intimidated," Kim stated post-training at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. "I thought to myself that maybe Pan Zhanle was keeping an eye on me, too. So I tried to swim with confidence today."

Having spent three days at the Tokyo venue, which is designated for all swimming competitions during the Asian Games while Nagoya is the main host city, Kim initially felt uneasy but attributed it to his physical state rather than the facility. "After a couple of days, I started feeling right again," he remarked. "The water is awesome at this pool."

In his previous Asian Games appearance, Kim only participated in relay events. This year, his first individual race will occur on the competition's initial day, a schedule he embraces. "I think I can go right into the pool when I am feeling the best," he expressed. "I am trying to look on the bright side."

Despite the challenge ahead, Kim remains publicly committed to his ambition of securing a gold medal at the Asian Games. "I think I am in great form right now," he affirmed. "I will not change my goal here. I know how hard I have worked to get to this point and I will give my best effort tomorrow."