Leon Marchand Shatters French Record in 200 IM at PSS San Antiono – 1:56.95

2022 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES SAN ANTONIO

MEN’S 200 IM

  • World Record: Ryan Lochte (USA, 2011): 1:54.00
  • American Record: Ryan Lochte (USA, 2011): 1:54.00
  • US Open Record: Ryan Lochte (USA, 2011): 1:54.56
  • Junior World Record: Haiyang Qin (CHN, 2017): 1:57.06
  • Pro Swim Record: Michael Phelps (USA, 2012): 1:56.32

Top 8 finishers:

  1. Shaine Casas – 1:56.70
  2. Leon Marchand – 1:56.95
  3. Chase Kalisz – 1:57.10
  4. Michael Andrew – 1:59.11
  5. Sam Stewart – 1:59.44
  6. Jay Litherland – 2:01.44
  7. Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero – 2:02.08
  8. Matheo Mateos – 2:03.31

Leon Marchand, fresh off completing his freshman season at Arizona State University, battled Shaine Casas tonight in the 200 IM at the Pro Swim Series – San Antonio. After establishing the early lead, Casas was able to hold off a charging Marchand at the end, finishing in 1:56.70 to Marchand’s 1:56.95.

While Marchand didn’t win the race tonight, he did blow away his previous best time in the event, shattering the French Record in the process. Marchand’s 1:56.95 took nearly a full second off the previous French Record of 1:57.89, which was set by now-retired Jeremy Stravius at the 2013 French World Championships Trials, coincidentally nearly 9 years ago to the day.

Here is a split comparison between Marchand’s swim tonight and Stravius’ previous French Record performance.

Splits Leon Marchand – Pro Swim Series San Antonio Jeremy Stravius – 2013 French World Championships Trials
Fly 25.64 24.61
Back 29.96 29.69
Breast 33.25 35.67
Free 28.10 27.92
FINAL TIME 1:56.95 1:57.89

As the splits show, Marchand was more conservative on the front half of the race, then threw down a blistering 33.25 breaststroke split to put himself well ahead of Stravius’ record pace.

It’s notable that while Marchand arrived at Arizona State as primarily a 400 IMer, the 200 IM is the event in which he has thrived the most this season. He won the NCAA title in the SCY 200 IM last week at the NCAA Championships, breaking the NCAA and U.S. Open Records in the process. While the 400 IM is still Marchand’s top event, evidenced by his #1 ranking in the world this year, it appears the 200 IM may have quickly become an essentially equal event in the 19-year-old event schedule.

Marchand’s time tonight makes him the #2 performer in the world so far this year, behind only Casas.

Men’s 200 IM 2022 World Rankings:

RANK TIME SWIMMER MEET DATE
1 1:56.70 Shaine Casas (USA) 2022 TYR Pro Swim Series – San Antonio 4/2/22
2 1:56.95 Leon Marchand (FRA) 2022 TYR Pro Swim Series – San Antonio 4/2/22
3 1:57.09 Daiya Seto (JPN) Japan Selection Trial for 19th FINA World Championships 3/4/22
1:57.10 Chase Kalisz (USA) 2022 TYR Pro Swim Series – San Antonio 4/2/22
5 1:58.11 Sou Ogata (JPN) Japan Selection Trial for 19th FINA World Championships 3/4/22

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Mclovin
2 years ago

It surprises me how little has been talked about Chase Kalisz this week. I think this has been the best I´ve seen from him in season in the last 3 years. He seems motivated and could even hit some PBs this summer. I thought once he won the olympic gold he wouldnt be as motivated to continue training but I am very happy to be wrong. 1,57,10 in season is nuts

Chad
Reply to  Mclovin
2 years ago

Totally agree. I was expecting him to retire this year and all of the sudden he’s setting himself up to do great things this summer.

Regan Chapman
2 years ago

Marchand is scary!

Yozhik
2 years ago

Once commenting on some IM swimmer Luigi noted: “Jack of all trades, master of none”. It can’t be said better. If a medley relay is the beauty where the strongest strokers are competing then IM competition is a parody. If you look at it carefully you will see that in overwhelming number of cases these swimmers don’t have high ranking in individual strokes but found the niche in so called “versatility” competition where the winner is that swimmer whose weakest stroke(s) is less weaker.

Mclovin
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

This is one of or maybe the worst comment I´ve ever seen from you. And you have given us so much rubbish. Amazing job there Yozhik

Yozhik
Reply to  Mclovin
2 years ago

Rubbish is good. Without having it how will you know that whatever you said is the pinnacle of human mind if there is nothing to compare against. 😀

Mclovin
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

Wait, you have a point there

Swim4
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

Ha! I can’t imagine having such a negative view on just about everything. I have an extra pair of rose-tinted glasses if you want to give them a try!

There's no doubt that he's tightening up
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, truly jack of all trades and master of none.

Jay Ryan
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

Phelps/Lochte?. Let us not forget that Phelps was a World class backstroker and was only 0.01 sec shy of the world record in the 100 BK at one time. He swam the 200BR on a whim at a ripe old age of 30 and went 2:11.30, still a class time. Lochte was olympic champion in the 200 bk, swam fly and breast at the SC world championship level and was world champion long course in the 200 Free. It maybe used to be the way Yozhik puts it, but not now. Marchand is perhaps the next one in these swimmers. Stay tuned.

Alex Wilson
Reply to  Jay Ryan
2 years ago

I expect to see Leon Marchand’s backstroke to improve over the next year or so. After all with Coach Bowman and sometime volunteer advisor Phelps in his corner, what can one expect?

jamesjabc
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

The thing is that that’s not actually true. Tokyo this year wasn’t the best case for it, but it’s very common for IM medallists to win other medals.

Duncan Scott got silver in the 2IM and silver in the 200 free.

Flickinger got bronze in the 2IM and 200 fly.

McKeown had the top 2IM time of the year (despite not swimming it at Olympics) and also broke the 100 back WR and won the backstroke double.

In Rio, Phelps won an IM gold and other individual gold, as did Hosszu. DiRado won 200 back gold and a silver and bronze in the IMs.

I went back 5 Olympics and at every single one, a bunch of IM medallists also… Read more »

Bobo Gigi
2 years ago

Best race of the meet.
Great fight between Casas, Marchand and Kalisz.
Very expected big new PB for Marchand who still benefits from his tapering for NCAAs and was pushed by 2 fast Americans.

Khachaturian
2 years ago

We are getting plenty of new candidates ready to join the 1:55 club. This event is becoming more and more stacked as the years go by.

AnEn
Reply to  Khachaturian
2 years ago

Great future ahead for this event:
Marchand, Borodin, Sates, Kos, Razzetti, Clareburt, Hvas, Gonzalez, Scott, Foster, Andrew, Casas

At least 4 of those guys won’t be able to final and out of all of them Scott is the oldest at 24 years of age …