Marchand shatters record as US, Australia win more world gold

AFP | Singapore

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Leon Marchand smashed the 200m individual medley world record in Singapore yesterday with another breathtaking swim while Australia and the United States celebrated more gold.

Racing in the semi-finals at the world championships, the 23-year-old Frenchman wiped more than a second off the previous record of 1:54.00 set by Ryan Lochte in 2011.

Marchand beat Michael Phelps’s long-standing 400m medley record at the world championships in Japan two years ago.

“Actually I can’t believe it right now,” said Marchand, who won four individual golds in front of his home fans at the Paris Olympics a year ago and was the face of the Games.

“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 took an extended break from swimming after Paris and only returned to competition in May.

He is focusing on the individual medley events in Singapore and had said he was gunning for Lochte’s record.

Marchand got his world championships campaign under way yesterday morning, clocking a time of 1:57.63 in the heats.

He said he would go all-out for the record in the semi-finals rather than conserve his energy for Thursday’s final.

In yesterday’s finals, Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi won the 800m freestyle thanks to a perfectly timed attack.

Jaouadi made his move midway through the race and eased away to touch the wall in 7min 36.88sec, ahead of German pair Sven Schwarz (7:39.96) and 400m champion Lukas Maertens (7:40.19).

Jaouadi, who finished fourth at last year’s Paris Olympics, clocked the third-fastest time ever.

“At some point I saw that the rhythm wasn’t that fast so I decided to just go and make the move,” said the 20-year-old.

Ireland’s Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen finished last. Australia’s Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan was just as emphatic in romping to victory in the women’s 200m freestyle in 1:53.48.

Second was China’s Li Bingjie (1:54.52) and third Claire Weinstein of the United States (1:54.67).