Leon Marchand Swims NCAA Record in 400 IM With a 3:31.84

#9/1 CAL VS. NR/#4 ARIZONA STATE

  • January 21, 2023
  • Mona Plummer Aquatic Center, Tempe, Arizona
  • SCY (25 yards)
  • 11:00 AM Pacific Time (2:00 PM Eastern Time)
  • Live Stream
  • Live Results on Meet Mobile
  • Meet Preview

Arizona State’s Leon Marchand swam a new NCAA record in the men’s 400 IM going a 3:31.84. That swim broke the previous record of 3:32.88 which Cal’s Hugo Gonzalez swam to win NCAA’s last year.

Split Comparison:

Marchand ASU v Cal (2023) Marchand 2022 NCAAs
Gonzalez 2022 NCAAs
Fly 22.78 22.88 22.38
Fly 25.97 (48.75) 26.04 (48.92) 26.09 (48.47)
Back 27.15 27.54 27.19
Back 26.53 (53.68) 27.25 (54.79) 26.65 (53.84)
Breast 29.55 30.06 29.06
Breast 29.75 (59.30) 30.60 (1:00.66) 29.84 (58.90)
Free 25.95 25.58 26.21
Free 24.16 (50.11) 24.13 (49.71) 25.46 (51.67)
Total Time 3:31.84 3:34.45 3:32.88

Marchand was faster today than Gonzalez was in back and freestyle. Marchand’s biggest difference here from his swim at last year’s NCAA Championships was his middle 200. He was faster today on his 100 back and 100 breast by over a second, notably getting under the 1:00 split on the breaststroke leg.

Marchand’s time is the top time in the NCAA so far this season by a huge margin. Notably though, defending NCAA champ and previous NCAA record holder Gonzalez was absent from Cal this fall, thus not swimming it at all this season until today when he swam a 3:57.92 to finish fifth. Gonzalez made his return in yesterday’s Cal vs Arizona dual meet and was not suited up today with his 3:57.92.

Top Times in the NCAA this season: Men’s 400 IM

This was Marchand’s third individual event at ASU’s dual meet against Cal. Marchand had already swum NCAA-leading times today in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes before breaking this record in the 400 IM. It is estimated that there were about 35 minutes between Marchand’s 200 breast and 400 IM.

Marchand now owns both NCAA records in the IM events as he swam a 1:37.69 in the 200 IM at last year’s NCAA Championships.

In This Story

116
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

116 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Tim Grills
1 year ago

I remember when we swam a 3:47 RELAY to set our high school invite record! 1982.

The Original Tim
1 year ago

Holy guacamole, Batman!

I remember the first time as a kid that I saw someone go under 4:00 at a meet eons ago and thinking that was the coolest thing ever.

Marchand would’ve more than lapped that dude. Crazy to think about at a dual meet!

Shaddy419
1 year ago
Kim
1 year ago

Wonder what times he will swim in Paris 24 🙂

PFA
Reply to  Kim
1 year ago

At this point is it still a stretch to say he could go after sub 4 next year?

Buttafly
Reply to  Kim
1 year ago

I’m thinking 4:01 low to mid in the 4 IM, but nothing would surprise me at this point

Emily Se-Bom Lee
1 year ago

If fina still gives out NFTs for WRs in fukuoka, I hope marchand gets a bobo-themed one

Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

Congrats Léon!
It was just a matter of time.
And thanks to Bob for helping him become a double world champion last year, become the next 400 IM world record holder (next summer?) and a double olympic champion next year at home. It’s very nice from the part of the next US men’s team coach at worlds to help a foreigner break Michael Phelps’ world record and beat the Americans at international competitions. It’s very appreciable. All the French naysayers who don’t know anything about swimming and criticized Bob when he trained Agnel are now pretty silent! 😆
It will not be easy for Bob at worlds. He’s the coach of the US men’s team. There will… Read more »

Daaaave
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

Good morning Bobo!
Leon brought Bobo back what can he not do

Swimswam follower
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

Welcome back. You’ve been missed.

dscott
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

Would you rather face Milak in 200 Fly or Stubblety-Cook in the 200 Breast. Marchand got the Silver in the 200 Fly, but was over 3 seconds back from Milak in a tapered status; his LCM 200 Breast PB (2:09.24) is from a Pro Swim Series meet In April 2022. In the next Pro Swim Series meet (June 2022) he was1:56.54, and then dropped a bit over 3 seconds at Worlds. How does the schedule work?

Wildcat
Reply to  dscott
1 year ago

Why not do both?

Demarrit Steenbergen
Reply to  Wildcat
1 year ago

Same session for prelims/semis/finals in paris. Rough to do 6×200 in 2 days then still have stuff to do after (relays and 200 IM)

bubo
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

Babe wake up Bobo Gigi just commented

Jay Ryan
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

Bobo, welcome back. But I think you have it wrong on the American swimming community’s view of Bowman’s mentorship of Leon. Phelps’ swims are classic but records are made to be broken, and everyone loves to see a great swim. Even Phelps has been exhorting good swims out of Leon. Frenchie can fly!!

FTW
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
1 year ago

Que Miras Bobo?

Marklewis
1 year ago

Leon and that WR line for the 400 LCM have a date with destiny.

The yards records is nice, but we all know the LCM race is much tougher.

dscott
Reply to  Marklewis
1 year ago

True, but in every race the competitors all face the same relative challenge.

PFA
1 year ago

I would say this is a very fair claim to make: yeah Milak is quite a bit versatile in swimming but I would say Marchand is the most versatile male swimmer in the world right now. And as of now the 3rd most versatile male swimmer ever behind Phelps and Lochte.

SCY
18.5 Relay split
40.9 relay split
1:29.9 relay split
46.1 100 back
1:42.8 200 back
22.9 breast relay split
51.0 individual 100 breast
1:48.2 200 breast
45.6 100 fly
1:39.5 200 fly
46.6 100 IM
1:37.6 200 IM
3:31.8 400 IM

LCM
51.2 100 free (before bowman)
1:02.3 100 breast (before bowman)
… Read more »

uwk
Reply to  PFA
1 year ago

Best swimmer in the world rn

Cswim
Reply to  PFA
1 year ago

Dont sleep on Duncan Scott

Cswim
Reply to  PFA
1 year ago

Dont be sleeping on Duncan Scott

Jay Ryan
Reply to  PFA
1 year ago

Those times and splits are similar to Seliskar by the time of his senior year at Cal.

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 and 2023 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. Currently, Anya is pursuing her B.A. in Economics and a minor in Government & Law at …

Read More »