FLASH! Leon Marchand Annihilates 200 IM World Record, Skipping Past 1:53 With 1:52.69 in Semifinals
The great Leon Marchand has struck again. A 14-year-old world record in the men’s 200 individual medley has been confined to history by an enormous margin as Marchand put forth a historic effort in Wednesday’s semifinals.
The 23-year-old Frenchman had clearly stated that the global standard in the 200 IM was his primary target for this year’s World Championships. After falling six hundredths short of a long-standing mark held by Ryan Lochte at the Paris Olympics, Marchand dropped the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke from his schedule for this meet. The goal, his coaches said, was to see what was capable when he was fully fresh for the shorter medley.
Now we know. Swimmers had been seeking a 1:53 since 2011, but Marchand skipped right over that time and reached 1:52-territory. Choosing to strike for the world record in the semifinal, Marchand was more a second under Lochte’s pace the entire race, the superimposed world record time at his feet. He finished in 1:52.69 to wipe 1.31 seconds from the record.
More to come.
