Leon Marchand Smashes 200m Individual Medley World Record At World Championships In Singapore

Leon Marchand was in a league of his own on Wednesday night, setting the pool on fire with a stunning world record in the 200m individual medley at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

Marchand Destroys Lochte’s Longstanding Record

The 23-year-old French star clocked an eye-popping 1:52.69 in the semi-final, wiping more than a second off Ryan Lochte’s record of 1:54.00 that had stood untouched since 2011.

It was the kind of swim that left the crowd buzzing and his competitors stunned. A full second is a massive margin at this level, but Marchand made it look easy.

“Actually I can’t believe it right now,” said Marchand, who also won four individual golds last year at the Paris Olympics.

“I knew I was going to be close to my PB (personal best) because I felt really good today, and preparation has been pretty good.

But 1:52 is unbelievable for me.”

Marchand’s Comeback Pays Off in Style

After dominating the Olympics, Marchand took some time off from racing. But once May rolled around, he was back in the pool, zoning in on medley events with one target in mind, Lochte’s record.

He began his day in the heats with a solid 1:57.63, doing just enough to move on. But in the semis, he didn’t hold back. He went all in and made history.

Breaking Records Has Become Marchand’s Thing

This isn’t the first time Marchand has gone after a legend’s mark. Two years ago, he broke Michael Phelps’s world record in the 400m individual medley at the World Championships in Japan, a swim that announced him as the sport’s next big thing.

“It was good, I swam well, I think I pretty much did what I wanted to do,” he said after the morning heat.

“There are a few technical details that I’ll go over with my coach, things I can improve on for tonight.”

Marchand’s Finals Yet to Come, But History Already Made

The scary part? That record-breaking swim was just the semi-final. Marchand still has the final ahead of him on Thursday, and if this form holds, more records might fall.

Whether or not he tops this time again, one thing’s clear, Leon Marchand is no longer just chasing history. He’s writing it.

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