2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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Four-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand is dropping both the 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly from his 2025 World Championship lineup, multiple French outlets are reporting.
Marchand won both IM races in addition to the 200 breast and 200 fly at the Paris Olympics last July, with the latter two events captured on the same night, about 90 minutes apart.
The Frenchman kicked things off that night by bringing the house down in the final of the 200 fly, running down world record holder and defending champion Kristof Milak to win gold in 1:51.21. He broke 1:52 for the first time, lowered Milak’s Olympic Record, and surpassed Michael Phelps for #2 all-time to boot.
One-upping himself later in the session, Marchand upended another reigning champion in the 200 breaststroke, soaring to a time of 2:05.85 in the final to win gold in an Olympic Record. In the process, he obliterated his previous best time of 2:06.59. Marchand handily beat defending champion Zac Stubblety-Cook by nearly one second, overtaking the Australian for #2 all-time in the event.
The pair of victories made Marchand just the fourth swimmer in history to win two individual Olympic gold medals on the same day, joining East German Kornelia Ender, Australian Frederick Lane, and Hungarian Alfred Hajos. While Michael Phelps has won two golds on the same day, one of Phelps’ victories always came in a relay.
When the original entry list for the 2025 Worlds was released, it showed that Marchand would race the same schedule he did at the Paris Olympics, contesting the men’s 200 breast, 200 fly, 200 IM, and 400 IM. That came despite the fact he has yet to race the 200 fly in long course meters since Paris.
At previous World Championships, Marchand has never raced the 200 breast but has competed in the 200 fly twice, winning silver in 2022 (1:53.37) and gold in 2023 (1:52.43).
“It’s a choice we made because we’re in a post-Olympic year, and he’s never had the opportunity to perform a 200m medley without having a race before or after the same day,” Nicolas Castel, his club coach with the TOEC Dolphins, told Franceinfo Sport. “He wanted to try this isolated 200m medley and see what he was capable of.”
“Now, the main idea is to test this race without anything around it,” Castel added.
“He wants to see what he’s capable of in this configuration. It’s interesting for him and for us as well” [with Bob Bowman, his primary coach]. “Plus, in a post-Olympic year, lightening the program a little can be good.”
Marchand narrowly missed Ryan Lochte‘s long-standing 1:54.00 World Record in the 200 IM in the Paris Olympic final, clocking 1:54.06 for his fourth gold of the meet. The 200 fly has always conflicted with that event at World Championship meets, so this will be the first time he will have the opportunity to tackle the 200 IM “fresh.”
Marchand has had a non-linear post-Olympic season. After taking a few months off following the Paris Olympics, he broke the short course 200 IM World Record at a World Cup meet in the fall, then headed out to train in Australia for a few months, where he ended up having to deal with two injuries. In late March, he returned to the USA to resume training with Bowman. Since then, he has raced three meets and holds the world lead in the 400 IM (4:07.11), while he sits 8th in the 200 IM (1:57.23) and 7th in the 200 breast (2:08.25).
Marchand’s Updated Event Schedule
- Relays are all unconfirmed until the day of each race.
- We included the mixed 4×100 medley relay in the potential schedule, but given the scratches of the 200 breast and 200 fly to focus on the 200 IM, it’s highly unlikely he’ll line up for that race.
| Date | Event | Round |
| Sun, July 27 | 4×100 Freestyle Relay | Prelims/Finals?* |
| Wed, July 30 | 200 IM | Prelims |
| Wed, July 30 | 200 IM | Semifinals |
| Wed, July 30 | Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay | Prelims/Finals?* |
| Thurs, July 31 | 200 IM | Finals |
| Fri, August 1 | 4×200 Freestyle Relay | Prelims/Finals?* |
| Sun, August 3 | 400 IM | Prelims |
| Sun, August 3 | 400 IM | Finals |
| Sun, August 3 | 4×100 Medley Relay | Prelims/Finals?* |
A little disappointed of course but is it really surprising given his current shape?
He must know himself better than us and i trust him and think he’s right.
I prefer two good and well mastered individual events (with potential wr’s) than four with no good times or even failed ones.
As others say here, that could be a good tactical choice too especially if he races medley(s).
I would be interested to see what he could achieve in freestyle tapered. (4*100 and 4*200).
Maybe this is too mean, but it makes me a little mad that WA did all that to change the schedule for him while everyone knew he was taking a chiller year. Like the Olympics was controversial enough but it was a home games…enough after that
A lot of other swimmers wouldn’t mind a schedule change.
I see the schedule change take on here a lot, generally that Bob got the Olympics schedule changed for him and Regan. I believe y’all but how is that something we know?? Was it leaked?
It was never hidden.
https://swimswam.com/leon-marchands-coaches-lobbied-for-olympic-schedule-change-to-ease-200-fl-200-br-double/
Wow, thank you!!!
I think Team Marchand is making a very smart tactical choice.
It’ll be interesting to see his limits on the 200 IM after his swim in the SC.
Also, will we see Marchand as the lead-off swimmer on the 200 free relay…
Hopefully!
He is miláking it.
Chances of a butterfly sweep for Kharun?
10%
Imo the 200 IM is always horribly scheduled for major international long course meets. Just put both the men’s and women’s races on the last 2 days of the meet with the 400 IM on either day 1 or day 2. The NCAA format can avoid scheduling the 200 IM away from the other 200 events, so why can’t we do the same on the major international stages?
Better yet, only do the semis for the 50’s and 100’s.
Let the swimmers focus on swimming really fast without the needless semis. For the prelims, do what the Aussies are doing – swim the fastest heats first.
I’ll take it another level and ask to eliminate ALL semi’s.
hes just scared of the GOAT Shaine Casas.
His schedule is actually pretty dope.
Throw down a 100 fr to get things started and show off some of the Boxall adjustments.
Start his 2 IM rounds on 3 days rest, maybe break a WR because of it.
Add a 2 fr in the relay if it makes sense.
Close his individual program out with his bread & butter 4 IM, relatively “fresh” (for him). Add a medal in the medley relay.
I’d be hype if I was him. This could be a lot of fun for him and a lot of fun for us to watch. Might never see one of the greatest of all time swim this specific event lineup ever again.