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Matt Fallon Rallies Past Leon Marchand to Break PSS Record in 200 Breast (2:08.18)

2024 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – SAN ANTONIO

A couple weeks after placing 2nd behind Leon Marchand in the 200 breaststroke at last month’s NCAA Championships, University of Pennsylvania junior Matt Fallon got his revenge on Saturday night at the Pro Swim Series stop in San Antonio.

Fallon rallied past the French star on the last length of the pool, touching in 2:08.18 to take down Jake Foster‘s Pro Swim Series record of 2:08.23 from last year. Marchand’s defeat marked his first in a non-exhibition LCM race since finishing 2nd in the 200 butterfly behind world record holder Kristof Milak at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Last October, he lost an exhibition 100-meter back matchup against Arizona State teammate Hubert Kos and NC State fifth-year Kacper Stokowski.

Fallon’s winning tally of 2:08.18 represented the fourth-fastest time of his career, pushing him up to 5th in the world this calendar year behind Dong Zhihao (2:07.94), Yamato Fukasawa (2:07.75), Yu Hanaguruma (2:07.07), and Ippei Watanabe (2:06.94). Fallon has been as fast as 2:07.71 at U.S. Trials last summer.

Marchand was within a couple seconds of his personal-best 2:06.59 from last summer’s French Championships. The 21-year-old has yet to swim the event at a major international meet, instead opting for the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 fly. Last month at NCAAs, he captured another 200-yard breast crown in 1:46.35, a couple seconds ahead of Fallon’s 1:48.48.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

  • World Record: Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 2:05.48 (2023)
  • American Record: Josh Prenot (USA) – 2:07.17 (2016)
  • Pro Swim Series Record: Jake Foster (USA) – 2:08.23 (2023)
  • U.S Open Record: Josh Prenot (USA) – 2:07.17 (2016)

Top 8:

  1. Matt Fallon (UPN) – 2:08.18
  2. Leon Marchand (UN-AZ) – 2:08.40
  3. Adam Chillingworth (HKG) – 2:11.16
  4. Denis Petrashov (UOFL) – 2:11.19
  5. Lyubomir Enitropov (TNAQ) – 2:11.22
  6. Carles Coll Marti (VT) – 2:11.32
  7. Noah Nichols (UVA-VA) – 2:15.23
  8. Julio Horrego (SOFL) – 2:15.66

Only a couple tenths separated Adam Chillingworth (2:11.16), Denis Petrashov (2:11.19), Lyubomir Epitropov (2:11.22), and Carles Coll Marti (2:11.32) in the fight for 3rd place. Chillingworth shaved .15 seconds off his previous-best 2:11.31 from last April, sneaking under the Hong Kong national record of 2:11.20 set by Adam Mak in February.

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TerrapinDude
7 months ago

Olympic years are so entertaining. We all love to see fast swimming annually / year-round, but it’s when four years of work start to culminate that following the sport gets really fun. Different training plans and philosophies of performance are all converging; there are some who’ve seemed to be in poll position and others we haven’t thought about, all throwing down eye-catching times with surprising results. LFG!

Aragon Son of Arathorne
7 months ago

Fink is the only one that can challenge him at trials.

Stewart Fenwick
Reply to  Aragon Son of Arathorne
7 months ago

Marchand is now an American citizen?

RealCrocker5040
7 months ago

Fukasawa was 2:07.07 about a month before he went 2:07.75 at Trials

Swimdad
7 months ago

Marchand went out fast, knowing Fallon will back half it setting up for a good race. Kudos to both swimmers.

Assuming Leon decides to swim it, fans will be treated to a Fallon, Qin and Marchand special this summer. Suddenly the 200 Breaststroke is looking very intriguing.

Stewart Fenwick
Reply to  Swimdad
7 months ago

“Assuming Leon decides to swim it, fans will be treated to a Fallon, Qin and Marchand special this summer.”

You think ZSC and Japanese swimmer won’t be a factor?

We’ll see in Paris

Andrew
Reply to  Stewart Fenwick
7 months ago

and my goat Chuppy is back in 2:05 form according to my sources

Chad
Reply to  Andrew
7 months ago

if Chuppy is going 2:05… this may be the greatest race of the decade…

when have we seen 5 of the former WR holders all racing against each other in their prime? Oh and also Marchand is there too…

(G)olden Bear
Reply to  Swimdad
7 months ago

Counting out Fink/American X, Dong, the Dutch and the Japanese is some kind of take, I guess…

Ron Henderson
7 months ago

Breaststroke never seems stop fascinating me. There are so many different stroke techniques among world class swimmers in that stroke in particular.

Last edited 7 months ago by Ron Henderson
I miss the ISL (go dawgs)
7 months ago

AMERICA RAHHHHHHH

Annoyed
7 months ago

Interesting pic

Micaela Martiradonna
7 months ago

Good Job Training

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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