Leon Marchand Opts For 500 Free Over 200 IM On Day 2 Of Pac-12s

2024 MEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

On the first day of individual events at the 2024 Men’s Pac-12 Championships, Arizona State’s Leon Marchand has opted to swim the 500 freestyle over the 200 IM.

Marchand is the NCAA record holder in the 200 IM as he swam a 1:36.34 at 2023 NCAAs and is the only swimmer to ever go under the 1:38 mark. Cal’s Destin Lasco is the #2 performer all time with a 1:38.10 but Lasco is currently at the Westmont Pro Series instead of the Pac-12 Championships. That showdown will most likely go down at NCAAs.

Marchand would have been the top seed in the 200 IM but instead, he is the #5 seed in the 500 free. He will swim next to teammate Julian Hill this morning. Marchand has only swam the 500 free twice in his collegiate career. He swam a 4:07.81 in February 2023 and a 4:14.34 in October 2023. His time from last season would have placed Marchand as the top seed.

Last night, Marchand helped the Arizona State men to an NCAA record swimming a 22.71 50 breaststroke split. He also led off the team’s 800 free relay in a personal best time.

Although Marchand has a personal best faster than his entry time, from a point perspective, Marchand can only go up. In the 200 IM, fellow teammate Hubert Kos is the top seed whereas Stanford’s Rex Maurer is the top seed in the 500 free.

The Arizona State men lead the way in the 50 freestyle as a group of the Cal men are swimming at Pro Swim-Westmont this week including Jack Alexy and Bjorn Seeliger. Both swimmers would have been some of the favorites to win the 50 free but with their absences, the Arizona State men have the top 3 seeds.

With what looks like will be the team-title in hand, Marchand is now going for records in his “secondary” events. Some may even say he is going “Dressel-mode.”

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#1fanof200breast
8 months ago

the way matt fallon also opted for 500 free instead of 200 IM at ivys

ooo
8 months ago

OT. An update on the Olympic schedule optimization following this discussion.
https://swimswam.com/what-other-olympic-schedule-changes-could-be-made-to-benefit-star-swimmers/#comment-1319317
(I post here as Leon Marchand’s schedule triggered all this)
Following the 2 steps process where 2 years before the game a preliminary schedule is drawn and then modified 6 months before the start of the game by incorporating recent information without changing the [dayi – eventj] calendar but optimizing the order of events. (Basically what did happen this year).
Hoping no big mistake was made.
The preliminary schedule is established by minimizing the probable double and triples that swimmers would have to cope with. 4 possible overlaps exist Prelims-Prelims, Semis-Finals, Semis-Finals, Finals-Finals. I allowed the finals of the relays… Read more »

Facts
Reply to  ooo
8 months ago

This belong on GitHub not swimswam tbh

Steve Nolan
Reply to  ooo
8 months ago

comment image

So confused
8 months ago

For the parents and friends who couldn’t travel to watch their swimmer in the finals please pan out a little on the livestream so we can at least see them a wee bit?!?

Swimswam follower
8 months ago

Break the NCAA records in 500 free, 100 breast, and 200 fly.

Swimfan27
Reply to  Swimswam follower
8 months ago

Yes please

Brent Creager
8 months ago

With the way Leon swims things, are we going to see a sub 2:00 first 250?

Facts
Reply to  Brent Creager
8 months ago

Townley 2019 flashbacks intensify

NoFastTwitch
8 months ago

I’m unreasonably excited by this.

Hiswimcoach
8 months ago

4:01.23 (just here for the downvotes)

Wanna Sprite?
Reply to  Hiswimcoach
8 months ago

If he focused on it all szn at swam it NCAAs maybe. Here we’re probably see more like a 4:06 flat

Admin
8 months ago

4:20.69 in the morning, 4:05.99 from B-final, just to dunk on em. Let’s not forget ASU is fully shaved and tapered

Last edited 8 months ago by Coleman Hodges
LAallstar
Reply to  Coleman Hodges
8 months ago

so he didn’t make A?

doe
Reply to  LAallstar
8 months ago

He hasn’t swum yet

LAallstar
Reply to  doe
8 months ago

OHHH

NoFastTwitch
Reply to  Coleman Hodges
8 months ago

Leon might be able to make the B final, or at least the C final, swimming a 500 IM

Facts
Reply to  Coleman Hodges
8 months ago

That’s what they call a Shaine Casas

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …

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