Olympics: Champion Marchand to focus on medleys at worlds - Omni sports
Marchand was one of the standout stars of the Paris Games when he claimed gold in the 200m breaststroke and 200m butterfly as well the 200m and 400m individual medleys.
However, he is now set to concentrate purely on the medley events.
"He won't be doing the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke," Michel Coloma of the Dauphins du TOEC club told AFP.
"He wants to see what happens in the 200m medley, without having any other races on his plate."
Marchand is already the world record holder for the 400m medley, having snatched it from American legend Michael Phelps in 2023, but he now wants a crack at Ryan Lochte's 2011 record of 1min 54.00sec for the 200m medley.
He came close in his Olympic final, which he won in 1min 54.06sec, setting an Olympic record in the process.
Marchand will begin his world championships on July 30 with the heats of the 200m medley, with the final the next day.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Follow us on:
Short link:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
United cruise over Bournemouth in Premier League US friendly - World
Manchester United made it two wins out of two with a 4-1 victory over Bournemouth in the Premier League Summer Series pre-season tournament in Chicago on Wednesday. Goals from Rasmus Hojlund, Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo and teenager Ethan Williams sealed an encouraging result for Ruben Amorim's side at a rainy, windswept Soldier Field. United, who had opened their tour with a 2-1 victory over West Ham on Saturday, were always in control against the Cherries, taking the lead after just eight minutes through Hojlund. Dorgu curled in an inviting cross from the left flank and Denmark international team-mate Hojlund timed his run and jump to perfection to glance a header past Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic. Dorgu then doubled United's lead in the 25th minute, latching on to a clever, lofted quick free-kick from Mason Mount, muscling his way into the area and sliding a cool finish beneath the advancing Petrovic. Diallo bundled in United's third in the 53rd minute before Amorim made nine changes with 20 minutes to go. Substitute Williams needed just two minutes to make an impact curling a low finish into the bottom corner to put United 4-0 up. The only blemish on United's performance came with an 88th-minute own goal from Matthijs de Ligt. In Wednesday's other Premier League friendly in Chicago, West Ham came from behind to beat former manager David Moyes's Everton 2-1. Idrissa Gueye put Everton 1-0 up after 17 minutes before West Ham recovered to equalise through Brazilian international Lucas Paqueta just before half-time. Germany international Niclas Fullkrug's 64th-minute strike sealed the Hammers' win. The result was another disappointing pre-season setback for Everton, who were soundly beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth on Saturday. "I'm not overly concerned because I don't have the players which I need and what I want," Everton boss Moyes said afterward. "We knew before we came (to the US) we were going to be really up against it. So, it was never going to be us coming here and winning." "At the moment we're not ready to perform well enough in this tournament, and we're not ready to start the Premier League season." The four-team competition concludes in Atlanta on Sunday, with United facing Everton and West Ham taking on Bournemouth. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
21 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Swimming: Marchand smashes long-standing 200m medley world record - Omni sports
Leon Marchand said it would take a few months for it to sink in after smashing the 200m individual medley world record in Singapore on Wednesday, two years after beating Michael Phelps's 400m mark. Swimming in the semi-finals at the world championships, the 23-year-old Frenchman clocked 1min 52.69sec to wipe more than a second off the previous 200m IM record of 1:54.00 set by Ryan Lochte in 2011. Marchand now owns both medley world records after taking down Phelps's 400m mark at the 2023 world championships. That time had stood since the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was the American great's last remaining record. Marchand became a national hero in France after winning four individual golds at the Paris Olympics a year ago. He said it would take time to come to terms with his latest feat. "I'm going to try to sleep well tonight," he said. "It's going to be tough tomorrow but the final is going to be cool. "I'm going to try to understand what I've just done. It may take a few months, and after I'll look at what's next." Marchand took an extended break from swimming after his Paris Olympics heroics and only returned to competition in May. He is focusing on the medley events in Singapore and had said he was going for Lochte's record. Marchand got his world championship campaign under way on Wednesday morning, clocking a time of 1:57.63 in the heats. He said he would go all-out for the record in the semi-finals rather than conserve his energy for Thursday's final "For me it's a victory," he said. "I still have a little trouble believing it but I'm so happy, it was so good. It's all the strength work that I've done this year." (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
a day ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Former Arsenal captain Xhaka completes move to Sunderland from Leverkusen - World
Granit Xhaka returned to the Premier League on Wednesday with a move to newly-promoted Sunderland. The former Arsenal captain joined from Bayer Leverkusen and signed a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light. The 32-year-old Xhaka spent seven years at Arsenal, where he won two FA Cups before moving to Germany and helping Leverkusen lift the Bundesliga title in 2024 as part of a league and cup double. At Sunderland, his primary task will likely be to help the club avoid relegation. 'We are back to where this club needs to be, and we want to stay here to write our own history. I feel that I'm ready to help the team with my experience but with quality as well,' Xhaka said. Xhaka is captain of Switzerland and has won 137 caps for his country. Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said the signing of Xhaka was a 'significant endorsement of our ambition and our desire to build a team our supporters can be proud of in the Premier League.' 'His accomplishments and quality need little introduction – he's a player of the highest calibre on and off the field,' Speakman said. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
