Marchand returns to world stage after Olympic heroics
A year on from those Games, Europe's standout swimmer has dropped two of his four Olympic gold medal events to focus on the 200 and 400 metres individual medley (IM) with some possible relay action.
With the next Los Angeles Games still three years away, the 23-year-old can take the luxury of racing the 200m without restraint.
Having no races immediately before or after on the same day, the Frenchman can push to the limit and that could mean fireworks.
As the swimmer's France-based coach Nicolas Castel observed this week, Marchand wanted to 'see what he was capable of'.
The world already has a good idea of that: Last November Marchand broke the 200 IM short-course world record at a meet in Singapore and he can become a three-times world champion in the 200 and 400 IM after golds in both in 2022 and 2023.
The 200 IM long course world record of 1:54.00 was set by American Ryan Lochte at the 2011 championships in Shanghai and Marchand clocked 1:54.06 in Paris.
The Frenchman has held the 400 IM world record of 4:02.50 since the 2023 Fukuoka worlds in Japan and can become the first man to hold both at the same time since U.S. great Michael Phelps.
Olympic champions David Popovici (200m freestyle) of Romania, Ireland's Daniel Wiffen (800m freestyle), Germany's Lukas Maertens (400m freestyle) and Italian Thomas Ceccon (100m backstroke) will also be chasing more gold.
Wiffen, reigning world champion in the 800 and 1,500 freestyle, has said he wants Zhang Lin's 800m world record of 7:32.12 that was set in the era of now-banned super-suits in Rome in 2009 and is considered by many to be out of reach now.
'I think that this world record is definitely the hardest to break but I believe that all world records will be broken and I'm willing to push myself to that limit to get it,' Wiffen told Swimming World this month.
Maertens, 23, has already done something similar -- last April in Stockholm smashing compatriot Paul Biedermann's 400m world record from 2009 with a time of 3:39.96.
Ceccon is the world record holder in 100m backstroke.
Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom, the most successful swimmer in world championship history with 23 medals and another European star of Paris with gold in the 50 and 100m freestyle, will be absent from the championships as she is expecting her first child in August - REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
37 minutes ago
- The Star
Swimming-Fairweather shrugs off 400 freestyle DQ to top 200 heats
(Reuters) -New Zealand's Erika Fairweather bounced back from her shock disqualification in the 400 metres freestyle to post the fastest time in the 200 heats on day three of the world championships in Singapore on Tuesday. Fairweather's 400 title defence was ruined by a false start in Sunday's heats but the 21-year-old had no trouble in the shorter distance, leaving Olympic champion Mollie O'Callaghan in her wake at the World Aquatics Championships Arena. Fairweather, runner-up in the 200 at last year's championships in Doha, charged into the Singapore semis with a time of one minute and 56.54 seconds, 0.20 better than American Erin Gemmell and a half-second quicker than third-fastest O'Callaghan. Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi, the 1,500 freestyle short course world champion, took top seed in the men's 800 in 7:41.58, ahead of Australian Sam Short, who took silver in the 400 on Sunday. Ireland's Olympic gold medallist Daniel Wiffen sneaked into the final along with Paris 400 champion Lukas Maertens, who beat Short for the world 400. Italy's Simone Cerasuolo was fastest into the men's 50 breaststroke semi-finals (26.42), while American Luca Urlando was quickest into the men's 200m butterfly semi-finals (1:52.71). Five gold medals are up for grabs in the evening session, with American great and world record holder Katie Ledecky favourite to claim a sixth 1,500m freestyle crown and record-extending 22nd world title. Olympic champion David Popovici will go for gold in the men's 200 freestyle, while Australia's backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown will battle American Regan Smith for the 100 title. American Kate Douglass, the Olympic 200 breaststroke champion, will look to add the world 100 title to her collection. (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Fairweather shrugs off 400 freestyle DQ to top 200 heats
SINGAPORE: New Zealand's Erika Fairweather bounced back from her shock disqualification in the 400 metres freestyle to post the fastest time in the 200 heats on day three of the world championships in Singapore on Tuesday. Fairweather's 400 title defence was ruined by a false start in Sunday's heats but the 21-year-old had no trouble in the shorter distance, leaving Olympic champion Mollie O'Callaghan in her wake at the World Aquatics Championships Arena. Fairweather, runner-up in the 200 at last year's championships in Doha, charged into the Singapore semis with a time of one minute and 56.54 seconds, 0.20 better than American Erin Gemmell and a half-second quicker than third-fastest O'Callaghan. Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi, the 1,500 freestyle short course world champion, took top seed in the men's 800 in 7:41.58, ahead of Australian Sam Short, who took silver in the 400 on Sunday. Ireland's Olympic gold medallist Daniel Wiffen sneaked into the final along with Paris 400 champion Lukas Maertens, who beat Short for the world 400. Italy's Simone Cerasuolo was fastest into the men's 50 breaststroke semi-finals (26.42), while American Luca Urlando was quickest into the men's 200m butterfly semi-finals (1:52.71). Five gold medals are up for grabs in the evening session, with American great and world record holder Katie Ledecky favourite to claim a sixth 1,500m freestyle crown and record-extending 22nd world title. Olympic champion David Popovici will go for gold in the men's 200 freestyle, while Australia's backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown will battle American Regan Smith for the 100 title. American Kate Douglass, the Olympic 200 breaststroke champion, will look to add the world 100 title to her collection.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Cricket-Broad, Hussain warn England against risking Archer at the Oval
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - International Test Match Series - Fourth Test - England v India - Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, Britain - July 26, 2025 England's Jofra Archer appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of India's Shubman Gill Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes/File Photo (Reuters) -England will be putting fast bowler Jofra Archer at risk of a fresh injury if they select him for the fifth and final match against India at the Oval this week, according to former test players Stuart Broad and Nasser Hussain. Archer is taking part in his first test series in four years after overcoming elbow and back injuries. The 30-year-old sat out the first two matches before claiming five wickets in his return to the format at Lord's and four in the drawn Manchester test. While India could draw the series with a win at the Oval, Broad told Sky Sports that England should prioritize Archer's long-term fitness. "We can't not have Archer for four years, bring him back and then bowl him into the ground and not see him for another four years," he said. "(Josh) Tongue started the series, and I know he mainly got lower-order players out, but you probably have a natural replacement for Archer." England have added fast bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton to their tiring pace battery. Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse have played all four tests, while skipper Ben Stokes said he would "run through a brick wall" to try to be available for the final test beginning on Thursday. Gus Atkinson and Tongue are likely to feature in the decisive final test, and England are likely to rest Archer with the Ashes series against Australia in four months' time. "I don't think you can have Archer playing three on the bounce coming back after four years," former England captain Hussain told Sky Sports. "Gus Atkinson coming back after a long time, and then Stokes with a niggle as three of your four seamers - but I would definitely play Atkinson on his home ground if fit." (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)
