Leon Marchand stole the spotlight on day four of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, smashing the 200m individual medley world record and proving once again why he’s being called the “French Phelps.”
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Clocking an astonishing 1:52.69 in the semi-final, Marchand sliced more than 1.3 seconds off Ryan Lochte’s long-standing 2011 record of 1:54.00. His swim left the crowd stunned and re-established him as the top all-round swimmer in the world.
“I actually can’t really believe it right now,” Marchand said after the race. “I felt good today and knew I might get close to my personal best, but this is unbelievable. A 1:52 in the 200 IM? That’s insane.”
The 22-year-old already holds the 400 IM world record, and this latest feat underlines his dominance in medley events. Despite calling this a “transition year” after a hectic Olympic season, Marchand’s performance suggests he’s anything but off his peak.
Marchand chose to go all-in during the semi-final rather than save energy for the final. “I’m happy to be back in the pool after some injuries and time off. This record means a lot,” he said.
His headline performance capped off a night packed with emotion, surprises, and standout swims.
Australian star Mollie O’Callaghan reclaimed her 200m freestyle crown with a powerful performance. She clocked 1:53.48 to beat China’s Li Bingjie and American Claire Weinstein, who settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
The 21-year-old Queenslander, who returned from a dislocated knee earlier this year, was visibly emotional. “Coming here wasn’t even on my radar at the start of the year. Moments like this make it all worth it,” she said.
In the men’s 800m freestyle, Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi became the new face of distance swimming. His time of 7:36.88 is the fastest since the high-tech “supersuit” era, and the third-fastest in history. He edged out Germans Sven Schwarz and Lukas Maertens in a tight finish.
Meanwhile, American Luca Urlando became the first swimmer from his country since Michael Phelps to win the men’s 200m butterfly. Urlando clocked 1:51.87, holding off Poland’s Krzysztof Chmielewski and Aussie bronze medallist Harrison Turner, who celebrated with a jubilant “Dirty gold! Let’s go!” on national TV.
In the 50m breaststroke, Italy’s Simone Cerasuolo pulled off an upset to beat China’s Qin Haiyang. Russian swimmer Kirill Prigoda, competing as a neutral athlete due to international sanctions, took silver.
Russia’s neutral athletes struck again in the mixed medley relay, beating China and Canada to take gold, while the US failed to even make the final in a shocking twist.
Canada’s Summer McIntosh continued her march toward a record five individual golds, qualifying second-fastest for the women’s 200m butterfly final. At just 18, she’s already won the 200 IM and 400m freestyle this week.
Looking ahead, Thursday promises more fireworks with Romanian sensation David Popovici chasing a second gold in the men’s 100m freestyle. He’ll be challenged by Australia’s Kyle Chalmers and American Jack Alexy in what promises to be a blockbuster race.
One of the most heartwarming stories of the meet comes from 12-year-old Yu Zidi of China, who made the 100m freestyle final on her world championship debut. She now has a chance to become one of the youngest medallists in swimming history.
As the Singapore championships reach their midpoint, one thing is clear—Leon Marchand has ignited the pool, and the world is watching.
