On Monday night, five-time World Champion and 400 IM world record holder Leon Marchand threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a Major League Baseball matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
Marchand, a junior at Arizona State University, threw the first pitch alongside ASU triathlete Amber Schlebusch, who won the 2022 NCAA triathlon title. The Diamondbacks recognized Marchand and Schlebush as a part of “ASU Night”. ASU is located in Tempe, Arizona and is around 15 minutes away from Chase Field.
The Diamondbacks won 4-3 against the Rangers by virtue of a walk-off two-run RBI from Diamondbacks right fielder Tommy Pham that occurred during the bottom of the 11th inning.
Amber and Léon are ready to throw out the first pitch tonight at the @Dbacks game!#ForksUp /// #O2V pic.twitter.com/ZRufKGjPSL
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) August 22, 2023
Forks up! 🔱
Celebrating ASU Night at the ballpark. pic.twitter.com/WeSmD9huvU
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 22, 2023
Several other members of the Arizona State men’s swim team were also present at Monday night’s game.
Marchand is coming off a successful 2023 World Championships outing, where he took home gold medals in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 fly and was named the male swimmer of the meet by World Aquatics. He also took down Michael Phelps’s world record in the 400 IM, which had been Phelps’ final individual world record and the longest-standing active long-course world record.
Prior to World Championships, Marchand posted arguably one of the greatest NCAA Championship performances in history, breaking NCAA records in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 breast, as well as recording the fastest relay splits ever in the 50/100 breast and 200 free. He helped Arizona State to a second-place finish, which was their highest in history.
Several swimmers have thrown out first pitches at MLB games, with names like Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Allison Schmitt, Zach Apple, Ryan Murphy, Paige McKenna and Penny Oleksiak being just a few examples.
Yep. He’s French.
Kibler and Urlando in the corner 👀
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