Marchand sparkles on return to global stage with 200m medley world record
The "French Phelps" blasted through the World Aquatics Championships Arena in one minute, 52.69 seconds in his semi-final, shaving more than 1.3 seconds off Ryan Lochte's long-standing 1:54.00 from the 2011 event in Shanghai.
"I actually can't really believe it right now," said Marchand, who also owns the 400 IM world record of 4:02.50.
"I knew I was going to get close to my PB (personal best) because I felt really good today, and the preparation has been pretty good, so I was really excited to race.
"It's unbelievable for me. What's crazy is that it's a whole second (ahead of Lochte).
"A 1:52 on the 200 — that's insane. I'm so happy, it's just incredible."
Exhausted after the Paris Games where he won four individual golds, Marchand skipped the short course world championships in Hungary last December and suffered injuries before returning to the pool for the TYR Pro Series in Florida in May.
He is swimming a reduced programme in Singapore, focusing on the 200 and 400 IM alone for individual events, as he works through what he calls a "transition year".
If this is his transition year his rivals might wonder what he has in store for them in a normal season.
Marchand's world record capped a bumper night of five gold medals, with Mollie O'Callaghan reclaiming her 200 freestyle crown to boost Australia's gold haul.
Tunisia celebrated a new force in distance swimming as Ahmed Jaouadi won the men's 800 freestyle in the fastest time since the supersuit era.
There were shocks amid the triumphs, though, with China's world record holder Pan Zhanle coming up short in the men's 100 freestyle semi-finals, while Olympic champions the United States missed the final of the mixed medley.
Few would have bet against O'Callaghan taking back the 200 title she won in Fukuoka two years ago. The Australian delivered a dominant swim of 1:53.48 to touch the wall more than a second clear of China's silver medallist Li Bingjie.
"Coming here would have been one of the last things I thought I would do at the start of the year," said the 21-year-old Queenslander, who had a long rehab from a dislocated knee earlier this year.
"It's all worth it in the long run for me ... Moments like this make it so much better."
'DIRTY GOLD!'
Two years after Ahmed Hafnaoui won the 800 freestyle in the fastest time (7:37.00) in the post-supersuit era, compatriot Jaouadi raised the bar again to claim the title ahead of runner-up Sven Schwarz and another German in Lukas Maertens.
The 20-year-old held off a strong field to win in 7:36.88, the third fastest of all time behind only Chinese world record holder Zhang Lin and fellow Tunisian Oussama Mellouli.
With Marchand skipping the 200 butterfly, former world junior champion Luca Urlando became the first American to win the event since Michael Phelps in 2011.
The Californian swam 1:51.87 to beat Poland's Krzysztof Chmielewski by 0.77 seconds, while bronze-winner Harrison Turner was thrilled to claim a first world medal in the event for Australia and also a national record.
"Dirty gold! Let's go!" Turner yelled at an Australian TV camera.
Italian Simone Cerasuolo was similarly buoyant after he upset Chinese powerhouse Qin Haiyang to win the 50 breaststroke title in 26.54. Qin took bronze behind Russian Kirill Prigoda, who was competing as a neutral athlete.
Russian athletes are allowed to take part in World Aquatics events under a neutral banner on the condition that they have not publicly supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine and have no affiliation to the Russian military.
Summer McIntosh is on track for a third gold of the meet after she set the second-fastest time in qualifying for the final of the 200 butterfly.
The 18-year-old Canadian has already won the 200 IM and 400 freestyle golds as she looks to match American great Phelps's record of five individual titles at a single world championships.
While the US flopped in the 4x100 mixed medley, Russian athletes competing as neutrals claimed a surprise gold ahead of China and Canada.
McIntosh will be favourite to win the 200 butterfly in one of five golds on offer on Thursday's day five, while David Popovici will look for a second gold in the men's 100 freestyle when he goes up against Kyle Chalmers and American Jack Alexy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Gulf Today
Preparation underway for Badminton WC
With the support of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Deputy Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, preparations are underway for the first-ever Badminton World Cup. This event is set to take place in Khorfakkan, Sharjah, from December 11-14, 2025. The organising committee recently held its first meeting at the Sharjah Sports Council headquarters to discuss various topics related to the tournament. The Badminton World Federation has announced that Sharjah will host the first-ever outdoor badminton championship, organised by the UAE Badminton Federation in collaboration with the Sharjah Sports Council. The meeting was led by Abdulmalik Mohammed Jani, Chairman of the Organising Committee, in the presence of Noura Hassan Al Jasmi, the committee's Vice Chairman, and several other committee chairs who are responsible for various aspects of organising the tournament. During the meeting, the team reviewed how to organise the event and divide responsibilities. They discussed the importance of developing local talent and proposed running training workshops for new referees. They also plan to hold promotional events leading up to the tournament to generate excitement and awareness. Khorfakkan Beach has been selected as the venue for the championship, and a press conference will take place after the European and Asian Championships. A total of 72 players from 12 different teams across five continents will compete in the upcoming Badminton World Cup in Sharjah, underscoring the tournament's global reach and significance. The event will bring together teams from every corner of the world, making it a true celebration of international sportsmanship. Each continent will have strong representation, with Asia and Europe each fielding three teams, reflecting their long-standing dominance in the sport. Africa will contribute two teams, highlighting the continent's growing interest and investment in badminton. North and South America will also send two teams, showcasing the sport's expanding presence across the Americas. Oceania will be represented by one team, and the host nation, the UAE, will proudly field a national team for the first time in the event's history. This diverse participation not only reflects badminton's global appeal but also positions Sharjah as a rising hub for international sports, capable of hosting top-tier competitions on the world stage. The tournament is expected to feature defending champions and top-seeded players from traditional powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Japan, India, Denmark, and South Korea. These countries consistently produce elite talent, and fans can look forward to thrilling performances from some of the sport's most celebrated athletes. Among the stars likely to compete are Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) — Olympic champion and reigning world number one, An Se-young (South Korea) – the dynamic women's singles sensation, PV Sindhu (India) — a two-time Olympic medalist and global fan favorite, Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand) — known for his speed and strategy, Chen Yufei (China) – a consistent force in women's singles and Olympic gold medalist. These world-class players will compete across five official categories: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. With so much talent on display, fans both in the arena and tuning in around the world can expect high-stakes, electrifying action throughout the tournament.
Filipino Times
6 days ago
- Filipino Times
Trump to Establish White House Olympics Task Force for 2028 LA Games
United States President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Tuesday to create a White House task force focused on preparing for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. According to a senior administration official, the task force will be responsible for handling issues related to security, logistics, and coordination across various levels of government. The task force will include members from Trump's cabinet as well as multiple federal agencies. Its main duties will involve coordinating efforts between federal, state, and local authorities, particularly in areas such as transportation and infrastructure. It will also work to streamline visa and credentialing processes for international athletes, coaches, officials, and media personnel coming to the United States for the event. Trump, whose second presidential term is set to coincide with the global sporting event, views the Olympics as a key milestone of his presidency. The former president, who played a role in securing the U.S. bid for the 2028 Games during his first term, considers the opportunity to oversee the Olympics a personal and national achievement. Organizers of the LA28 Games recently revealed the initial Olympic competition schedule, as excitement builds for the city's third time hosting the event—following the 1932 and 1984 editions. Casey Wasserman, chair and president of LA28, praised the creation of the federal task force, calling it a major step in ensuring the Games are the most successful in history.
Dubai Eye
6 days ago
- Dubai Eye
Zverev fights back to oust defending champion Popyrin from Canadian Open
Alexander Zverev rallied from a set down to beat defending champion Alexei Popyrin 6-7(8) 6-4 6-3 in Toronto and move into the semi-finals of the Canadian Open on Monday. Top seed Zverev was unable to convert two set points in a tight first set, but built up 3-0 leads in both the second and third sets to clinch the win in two hours and 42 minutes. The victory took the German's head-to-head record against Australian Popyrin to 4-0 and sent him to his 75th semi-final on the ATP Tour, joining Novak Djokovic as the only active men's tennis player to have reached the mark. "I had to tell myself, even though I lost the first set, I thought we were both playing actually quite well," said Zverev, who won the Canadian Open in 2017. "I had to find a return position in the beginning because he's a very big server, and when he gets into a rhythm, it's very difficult against him. "I did that in the second and third set. Honestly, I can't complain about much. I played one loose game on my serve in the second set, but apart from that, it was pretty good." Zverev next faces Russian Karen Khachanov, who beat Alex Michelsen of the United States 6-4 7-6(3). MBOKO'S RUN CONTINUES Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko stormed into the semi-finals of the women's tournament in Montreal with a 6-4 6-2 win over Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to continue her fairytale run. The 18-year-old, ranked 85th in the world, found herself a break down early in the second set, but won six straight games to become the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the Canadian Open since 2019. "I'm so excited to be in the semi-final here. I want to thank everyone for your support once again. It has been unreal," said Mboko, who beat No. 1 seed Coco Gauff on Saturday and is set to enter the top 50. Mboko next takes on Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, who was leading 6-1 2-1 when her opponent, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, was forced to retire from their quarter-final match due to a wrist injury. Rybakina will meet Mboko for the second time in as many weeks, with the ninth-seeded Kazakh winning 6-3 7-5 when the pair faced off in the Washington Open last month.
