Arizona State Freshman Leon Marchand Swims 3:35 in 400 IM: 5th-Best Time Ever

2021 NC STATE FALL INVITATIONAL

  • November 18-20, 2021
  • 9:30 AM Prelims / 5:30 PM Finals
  • Greensboro Aquatic Center
  • SCY (25y)
  • Live Results
  • Meet Mobile: 2021 NC State GAC Fall Invitational
  • Teams: NC State, Arizona State, Army West Point, Duke, North Carolina, Penn State, Stanford, James Madison (diving only), and UNC-Wilmington (diving only)

19-year old Arizona State freshman Leon Marchand won the 400 IM on Friday evening at the NC State Fall Invitational in Greensboro, North Carolina. his time of 3:35.62 is the 5th-best time in NCAA or USA Swimming history, and the second-fastest time ever by a freshman.

What’s more, he did so in his second ever 400 IM race in yards, with his first coming in prelims on Friday morning.

Fastest 400 IMs in NCAA History: Performances

  1. Chase Kalisz, Sr., Georgia, 2017 – 3:33.42
  2. Chase Kasliz, So., Georgia, 2014 – 3:34.50
  3. Carson Foster, Fr., Texas, 2020 – 3:35.27
  4. Abrahm Devine, Jr., Stanford, 2018 – 3:35.29
  5. Leon Marchand, Fr., Arizona State, 2021 – 3:35.62

By performers, Marchand now ranks 4th both in NCAA history and all-time.

His time is also faster than the 3:36.90 that Florida’s Bobby Finke swam to win the NCAA Championship last season. Foster’s time was the fastest of the season, but came in October and not at the NCAA Championships.

Splits Comparisons

Kalisz Foster Finke Marchand
US Open Record Freshman Record NCAA Title Time Wolfpack Invite
Fly 49.78 49.04 50.53 49.24
Back 53.9 53.93 55.44 55.35
Breast 58.61 60.92 61.49 60.61
Free 51.13 51.38 49.44 50.42
Final Time 3:33.42 3:35.27 3:36.90 3:35.62

The splits comparison shows how balanced Marchand is in his 400 IM. If he had to choose a stroke specialty, it would be breaststroke or butterfly, but he’s really a ‘true’ IM’er in the sense that he’s just very good at all 4 strokes and very good at putting them together into a complete race.

The Frenchman finished 6th in the 400 IM in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 4:11.16, short of his 4:09 French Record, and was 18th in the 200 IM and 14th in the 200 fly.

Marchand is in his first few months of training and competing in yards and under Arizona State head coach Bob Bowman – most famous for his work as the head coach of the 400 IM World Record holder Michael Phelps.

Marchand isn’t the only new addition to Arizona State’s IM group this season either: former Arizona Wildcat David Schlicht joined the team this season. He finished 2nd on Thursday in 3:40.60. He was 4th in the 400 IM in a 3:39.89 last season. Arizona State’s Jarod Arroyo, who was a Tokyo 2020 Puerto Rican Olympian, finished 4th in 3:45.89. That’s just .08 seconds slower than his lifetime best from March.

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Just give the trophy to the condors already
2 years ago

Marchand 3.30 at NCAAs , our local boy is kicking some american ass !!

whever
2 years ago

With all of Foster, Merchand, Borodin and Smith on fire this season, it’s likely we will see a new 400 IM World Champion very soon. The last time the World championships winner was not named Seto or Kalisz was 2011.

Swimmerfromjapananduk
Reply to  whever
2 years ago

Just not next year

Big mac #1
Reply to  whever
2 years ago

Seto gonna have that u of m speed

matt
2 years ago

him carson and bobby gonna make it interesting at ncaa

huguito
Reply to  matt
2 years ago

don’t forget hugo gonzalez

ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  matt
2 years ago

Hugo has also been 3:35 albeit a few years ago.

JeahBrah
Reply to  matt
2 years ago

Plus Hugo

Taa
Reply to  JeahBrah
2 years ago

Hugo likes the B final

Jackson
Reply to  Taa
2 years ago

You’re a hater! Hugo will redeem himself this coming March just you wait!

Barf- a-Scab
2 years ago

The 400 IM is the funnest event to watch!

Anon
2 years ago

Can’t wait for him to beat Carson at NCAAs.

Snail
2 years ago

And he’s not even shaved 👀

Big mac #1
2 years ago

US open record soon

swimswamsers
2 years ago

Incredible! Also finke coming home 49.4 in a 4 im is hilarious

Ferb
Reply to  swimswamsers
2 years ago

If anyone’s going to do it though, Finke is probably the guy.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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