Leon Marchand Aims to “Change Swimming”, Takes Out His 200 IM in 44.07

2023 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

ASU’s Leon Marchand, the reigning NCAA champion in the 200 IM, obliterated his own NCAA and U.S. Open records tonight with a 1:36.34. He shares that he aimed to take his swim out as fast as he could. “We can change swimming by doing this,” he said, “just take it out faster than we think we are capable of.”

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Mike McCormack
1 year ago

Glad for all the humility references below. Swimming always has been the leader in this important part of sporting endeavor, and we love it when the next generation arrives even more together than the previous, or at least as much so. Swimmers have an unfair advantage in this: Water, as a medium for daily sports effort, is an unrepentant equalizer! One never really gets a ‘leg up on it’, but only co-exists with it better with time. Much support from us all, Leon! It’s very simple to root for you because of your reined-in persona and perspective.

Admin
Reply to  Mike McCormack
1 year ago

The anti-Jameson Richards we all needed this morning.

Meathead
1 year ago

What if trying to change swimming backfires on him. He wins by so much the NCAA passes a rule that anyone not named Leon can wear fins. You never know

FBBF
Reply to  Meathead
1 year ago

handle checks out

Awsi Dooger
1 year ago

Absolutely that’s the way to do it. Not complicated. If you project to where any event will be a decade or two from now, the final times will be faster because the early splits will be beyond what is currently perceived as possible. That’s held up throughout the decades. Backhalfing never revolutionizes anything. Today’s backhalfer is tomorrow’s out of lens.

Springfield's #1 Athlete
Reply to  Awsi Dooger
1 year ago

This is way too simplistic of a view. Of course the front half will evolve as the event does, but so can the back.
Usually only dominant swimmers really try to push the front half, as they can take the risk of being a bit slow back home (Milak, Peaty, Marchand).
But if other swimmers are within range of you, you could end up losing to a tactical effort, especially through riding the wave. While pushing the front end is likely the best route to WR’s, it is not the most reliable way to win your event.
But ultimately it depends on the individual, some swimmers cannot push the front half, others have to as they have… Read more »

FBBF
Reply to  Springfield's #1 Athlete
1 year ago

I don’t know if I’d call going :52 (:27-:25) “slow back home,” for what it’s worth.

I was a TERRIBLE freestyler (:49 lifetime best 100 free, :46 lifetime 100 fly) and a pretty good backstroker, so I took my 2IM out as fast as I could stand. (granted, lifetime best was 1:51 so he’s damn near lapping me, but still)

Penguin
1 year ago

The humble confidence (confident humility?) of Leon and Popovici is awesome.

It’s the right mindset.

Penguin
Reply to  Penguin
1 year ago

Side note: I wonder if these young guys and gals work with sports psychologists, to any substantial degree.

You would think Bob would be emphasizing the mental health side of things nowadays.

Queen Bee
Reply to  Penguin
1 year ago

There was a bio of Marchand aired during Worlds that noted he had been having some kind of real difficulty with either depression or motivation and ended up deciding to go for college swimming in Arizona and asked Bowman if he was interested. The change did him very well. No specifics given about what was troubling him, but we are very fortunate that he has turned the corner so spectacularly.

Swimpop
1 year ago

Mission accomplished, next!

Leon Fan
1 year ago

Because according to USA Swimming’s power point calculations, Douglass’ 200 Breast is equal to 1084, while his 200 IM is more than 1200 points..l

maheny
Reply to  Leon Fan
1 year ago

yea I dont understand either. leons 200 breast comes out at 1109 points. (with the USA Swimming’s power point calculations)

also, if they just used the fina points formula (record/time)^3 x1000 kates and leons 200im comes out at 1048 and 1042 points respectively.

Leon Fan
1 year ago

1084 vs 1081 fins points. Is he referencing lcm times? Or is there a scy fina power point that I am unaware of?

Jimmyswim
Reply to  Leon Fan
1 year ago

He can’t be referencing LCM times because over 1000 is a WR and neither of them have one.

I think USA swimming has a power points system. Or maybe someone just applied the FINA points formula to the races even though it’s not recognised by FINA.

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  Leon Fan
1 year ago

I threw it into the calculator and it spit out 1204 for Marchand and 1162 for Douglass

Fraser Thorpe
1 year ago

Has he said if he will do NCAA next year or will he go pro?

xman
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
1 year ago

With NIL, he can do both from a sponsor standpoint. Otherwise, It depends on NCAA restrictions on how much he can cash in from France for swimming in the games. Joe S was allowed to make his 1 mil, so I don’t see any issues.