Leon Marchand Shatters Two French Records 43 Minutes Apart on Night 4 in Budapest

by Spencer Penland 23

June 21st, 2022 Europe, News

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

  1. Kristof Milak (HUN), 1:50.34 WR
  2. Leon Marchand (FRA), 1:53.37
  3. Tomoru Honda (JPN), 1:53.61
  4. Noe Ponti (SUI), 1:54.29
  5. Luca Urlando (USA), 1:54.92
  6. Tamas Kenderesi (HUN), 1:55.20
  7. Alberto Razzetti (ITA), 1:55.52
  8. James Guy (GBR), 1:55.54

Leon Marchand isn’t leveling off anytime soon. After an incredible freshman NCAA season at Arizona State under head coach Bob Bowman, Marchand posted the 2nd fastest 400 IM in history on the first night of these Championships. He then came in this evening and ripped the French Record in the 200 fly for the 2nd time at this meet. Not only did he obliterate the 1:54.32 he swam in semifinals, clocking a 1:53.37 for Silver, he would then go on later in the session to crack his own French Record in the 200 IM.

Starting with the 200 fly, Marchand’s performance tonight makes him the #8 performer all-time in the event. He’s also the #3 European all-time behind only World Record holder Kristof Milak, who set a new mark of 1:50.34 tonight as well, and Laszlo Cseh, another Hungarian swimmer with a career best of 1:52.70. He swam a beautiful race, splitting 54.25 on the first 100, then held on very well through the back half, splitting 59.12 on the 2nd 100.

Here is list of the all-time top 10 performers in the men’s LCM 200 fly:

Rank Time Swimmer Country Meet
1 1:50.34 Kristof Milak HUN 2022 World Champs
2 1:51.51 Michael Phelps USA 2009 World Champs
3 1:52.53 Daiya Seto JPN 2020 FINA CS – Beijing
4 1:52.70 Laszlo Cseh HUN 2008 Olympic Games
5 1:52.96 Chad le Clos RSA 2012 Olympic Games
6 1:52.97 Takeshi Matsuda JPN 2008 Olympic Games
7 1:53.23 Pawel Korzeniowski POL 2009 World Champs
8 1:53.37 Leon Marchand FRA 2022 World Champs
9 1:53.40 Masato Sakai JPN 2016 Olympic Games
10 1:53.42 Tamas Kenderesi HUN 3/27/2019

MEN’S 200 IM – SEMI-FINAL

  • World Record: 1:54.00, Ryan Lochte (USA) – 2011 World Championships
  • Championship Record: 1:54.00, Ryan Lochte (USA) – 2011 World Championships
  • 2021 Olympic Champion: Wang Shun (CHN), 1:55.00
  • 2019 World Champion:  Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:56.14

Finals Qualifiers:

  1. Leon Marchand (FRA), 1:55.75
  2. Carson Foster (USA), 1:56.44
  3. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:56.74
  4. Chase Kalisz (USA), 1:56.76
  5. Hubert Kos (HUN), 1:57.23
  6. Tom Dean (GBR), 1:57.38
  7. Lewis Clareburt (NZL), 1:57.63
  8. Matt Sates (RSA), 1:57.74

Just 43 minutes later, Marchand dove in for the semifinals of the men’s 200 IM, where he roared to a new French Record of 1:55.75, establishing the top time in semis as well. Despite the quick turnaround, his closing speed in the IM was nothing short of incredible. Marchand split a blistering 32.61 on breaststroke, by far the fastest split in the field, then tacked on a solid 29.00 on the final lap of the race, bringing him home in 1:01.61 on the final 100. His backstroke split was also extremely notable, coming in at 28.77, marking the 2nd fastest back split in the field.

The swim makes Marchand the #14 performer all-time in the event, and the scary thing is, when he races it again tomorrow night in the final, he won’t have swum the 200 fly 40 minutes prior. As for the French Record, Marchand shattered it. The previous record stood at 1:56.95, a mark which Marchand set in April the TYR Pro Swim Series in San Antonio.

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NathenDrake
2 years ago

The new Sun Yang of swimming.

Breezeway
2 years ago

Carson, Chase and Daiya better have at least a 1 – 2 body length lead going into the breaststroke if they trying win. That might not be enough

swimah
Reply to  Breezeway
2 years ago

I think it’s a battle for bronze between Kalisz and Seto. Leaning on Kalisz as he looks generally in better shape. 1 and 2 pretty locked already.

James Beam
2 years ago

Does Marchand go back to ASU after a meet like this?

Facts
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

Why not, ASU got him to this level so why fix it if it aint broke

HJones
Reply to  Facts
2 years ago

I think it’s a fair question to ask if it makes sense for him to continue being an NCAA student-athlete, or just swim full-time as a pro under Bowman.

mds
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

I doubt France would have brought Bowman to their training camp and Budapest with Marchand if they intended to keep him home. It is pretty clear to see that coming from 4:09 to 4:40 and 1:55 to 1:53 in the Fly he is in a good setting for himself and for France.

I’m looking forward to the 2IM final. If he has a similar proportional season best drop as he has has already had here in both the 4IM and 2Fly, we could see the first sub-1:54 – I think we see a Marchand World Record.

Marmot
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

It’s probably not a liberty to assume so. He’s doing really well and responding to incredible expectations the swimming community sort of salivated for after his NCAA performance. One of the rare talents that is exceeding rare expectations.

Last edited 2 years ago by Marmot
Reid
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

I’m sure he goes back to train and maybe for school, but definitely see him leaving NCAA swimming and turning pro this year or next. He could potentially win two golds, four medals, and be France’s biggest athlete at a home games. Way too much earning potential even in a non-swimming crazy country to keep competing in college.

Rafael
Reply to  Reid
2 years ago

He might be the “Silver boy” of French Home Olympics. I think all France spotlights will be on Teddy Riner last OG…

ahzswim
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

France seems to have great respect for Bob coaching Leon. If he’s able to train in Arizona and then swim for France, why not. Especially with new NIL rules, ie no pressure to go pro

Last edited 2 years ago by ahzswim
Tommy Schmitt
Reply to  James Beam
2 years ago

Ok so no coach is in France has what it takes to coach Leon at this elite level (sorry for all the chauvinists out there)

Leon is also a fairly smart guy, he pursued some math/science track for the french baccalaureate which is pretty tough, so I think it’s fair to say he can cruise through classes at ASU while getting to learn some interesting stuff that can take his mind off swimming

Bob Bowman undeniably helped him reach world-class level within a year, so why not stick with what’s working. Turning pro would put lots of expectations on him, while he objectively has not much to do at Arizona in his free time apart from going to class and… Read more »

Frank A Wilson
Reply to  Tommy Schmitt
2 years ago

Leon is holding a 4.0 average at ASU and loves the student/athlete atmosphere there as well as the coaches. I expect he will stay a student athlete until the Olympics get very close. This will not hurt his preparedness for the Olympics as ASU if very good at training for both short course yards and LCM at the same time as this last season has shown.

Flake
2 years ago

Honestly, I could see Lochte’s WR go tomorrow night. If Marchand can get that close to MP’s WR in the 400 IM why wouldn’t he be able to do it in the 200. He also swam a 1:55.7, which is crazy fast, 40 minutes after going a 1:53.3 in the 200 fly.

Scotty P
Reply to  Flake
2 years ago

This guy is going to unleash a sick nasty 2IM

HJones
Reply to  Flake
2 years ago

I’d almost be shocked if we don’t see a 1:54 from Marchand tomorrow

PFA
2 years ago

I’m sorry if I’m overhyping this but remember that article about Matt Sates saying “he could be the next MP” I think if SS was gonna write that about anyone it should have been Leon.

Swimswam follower
Reply to  PFA
2 years ago

Bobo Gigi MUST be smiling somewhere. Like I said in past posts, Marchand is France’s Phelps.

Level up
Reply to  Swimswam follower
2 years ago

But he’s training at ASU in a bathtub.

Frank A Wilson
Reply to  Level up
2 years ago

Actually ASU has excellent outdoor facilities. 50meter by 25yard main pool, extra 25 by 25 yd warm up pool and a 25 yard by 25 yard diving well pool

Alex Wilson
2 years ago

Two incredible swims! One can believe that Coach Bowman has found some new magic for coaching swimmers!

Matt
Reply to  Alex Wilson
2 years ago

I wonder if Coach Bowman just makes him “re-swim” Phelps’ old sets from his log book 🙂 Anyways his responding really well to the stimulus. His 200 IM time is brutal only 43 mins after a 200 fly silver.

Lochte’s splits  24.89, 28.59, 33.03, 27.49 = 1:54.00
Marchand’s splits 25.37, 28.77, 32.61, 29.00 = 1:55.75 (200 IM)

Lochte’s WR might fall tomorrow, although both his front end and backend speed was much faster than LM.

Frank A Wilson
Reply to  Matt
2 years ago

I think coach Bowman has refined his coahing procedures. I have watched the ASU team develop and change over 20 years and have noticed some changed in how Coach Bowman does things in the four years he has coached at ASU