2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
In the finals of the men’s 200 IM at the 2023 World Championships, France’s Leon Marchand swam a time of 1:54.82 to win his third gold medal at Worlds. His time is a new European Record, and makes him the third-fastest performer of all-time. In addition, he also joins Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte as one of the only three swimmers to break 1:55 in the event.
The former European Record was a 1:55.18 from Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh.
All-Time Top Performers, Men’s 200 IM:
- Ryan Lochte, United States — 1:54.00 (2011)
- Michael Phelps, United States — 1:54.16 (2011)
- Leon Marchand, France — 1:54.82 (2023)
- Wang Shun, China — 1:55.00 (2021)
- Kosuke Hagino, Japan — 1:55.07 (2016)
Marchand’s previous best time was a 1:55.22 from when he won the world title in 2022. Compared to his 2022 swim, Marchand was faster on fly, back, and breast, but 0.22 seconds slower on his freestyle leg. In addition, he was also slightly off Lochte’s world record splits for the first 150 meters of his race, but Lochte was a whopping 0.79 seconds faster coming home.
Split Comparison:
| Leon Marchand, 2023 World Championships | Ryan Lochte, 2011 World Championships (World Record) | Leon Marchand, 2022 World Championships | |
| Fly | 24.94 | 24.89 | 25.34 |
| Back | 28.66 | 28.59 | 28.81 |
| Breast | 32.94 | 33.03 | 33.01 |
| Free | 28.28 | 27.49 | 28.06 |
| Total | 1:54.82 | 1:54.00 | 1:55.22 |
Earlier on at the World Championships, Marchand broke the 400 IM world record and also won gold in the 200 fly with a new best time.
Phelps and Lochte where so far ahead of there time and this just further proves it
tbh was there really ever any doubt? 2011 Lochte would still be competitive for swimmer of the meet – if you go strictly by times, he would’ve won 2 gold 1 bronze vs Marchand’s 2 gold 1 silver, but in head to head races, I think it’s v likely he would be able to place higher in the 400 IM (0.5 behind foster) or in the 200 free (0.02 behind bronze, 0.14 behind gold)
Leon Marchand apparently made the cover of L’Equipe which is the largest French sports newspaper
https://twitter.com/NelsonCarterJr/status/1684684659815325696/photo/1
Did anyone see Marchand twitch a little on the blocks of this race?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKowOopXrlo&t=315s
You’re right; he did.
Is Ryan Lochte’s 1:54.00 WR now the oldest record set in a textile suit?
It’s been around 12 years now.
I would almost be more impressed if Leon toppled that one.
How does Bowman taper his swimmers? Have you ever seen MP or as of recent Marchand misfire at a major meet? Every time MP didn’t perform at his best it was because he wasn’t training hard(london). I gotta know his taper plan
Bob Bowman has a great record when it comes to getting his swimmers to peak for the big events. However, it doesn’t appear to be working well with Regan Smith.
She said in an interview at Nationals that she was pretty gassed, and that year 1 they learned a lot about how to get that timing right for her.
Bowman has a great record of getting those peaks right because he’s able to learn from it when he misses. Hard to bet against him in year 2.
I was truly disappointed in Rowdy during this race…he gushed over Marchand, Scott, Dean and Foster, but I don’t think he said one word about Casas…meanwhile he was 1st to the 50 wall, 3rd to the 100 wall, 2nd to the 150 wall, and just missed the podium by less than .2 seconds after having a nearly disastrous national meet…the guy fought his way back then just to make it to worlds, and then almost medaled…beating Foster in the process.
The guy gave literally everything of himself to represent USA, and you’d think the USA commentators might say something about it.
Wang Shun could be the 4th when he’s rested in Hangzhou.
Did Marchand actually win all the individual races in which he has competed this year? I believe so. If yes, was there already another swimmer who did the same? Thanks!
I don’t believe Phelps lost a race in 2007. I don’t know about 2008, might have dropped one when he was coming back from the broken wrist.
As far as multi event winners this year, Qin Haiyang and Kaylee McKeown both have 2 golds and are strong contenders for winning their third. Kaylee was obv dqed in the 2IM but not sure if youre counting it.