Léon Marchand broke the university record in the 500 yards Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto / Inside / Panoramic
In Olympic form, five-time world champion Léon Marchand shattered a second university record in two days during the NCAA finals in Indianapolis.
He’s on another planet. French swimming star Léon Marchand set a new record in the 500-yard freestyle Thursday in Indianapolis (Indiana, United States) during the NCAA university finals. His second in two days, after that established during the 4×200 yards, where he had the best time during the first relay.
Four months before the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11), the French won their first individual event on Thursday, the 500 yards freestyle (457 m, short course) in 4 min 02 sec 31, greatly improving their own record – established three weeks previously during the PAC-12, another university competition – by almost four seconds (4’06”18).
The French swimming star is writing a new page in the history of the NCAA university finals. This new record adds to the one already acquired the day before, during the 4×200 yards relay, where he had already registered his name by achieving the best time during the first relay.
Admiration across the Channel
In the United States, Léon Marchand impressed and caused ink to flow. “The new Michael Phelps”as the Americans call it, is particularly impressive. “This man truly broke the sport of swimming. In 3 years, he broke a record by 4 seconds whereas it had only been beaten by two seconds between 1995 and 2020.commented a follower on X.
As soon as I do something, everyone talks about it in the American swimming media
Leon Marchand
A surreal domination, which owes it the nickname of «Marchand Madness» across the channel. “Merchant Madness”. He himself is aware of this. “In the swimming world, that talks about me a lot. As soon as I say something, as soon as I do something in training, everyone talks about it in the American swimming media.said the person concerned before the competition in an interview given to Radio France .
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Reaching new heights
Where can he stop? Although he did not “what” 21 years old, Léon Marchand remains orphan of Olympic medals, unlike Michael Phelps, who had eight medals including six coronations at the Games at the same age. The parallel between the two swimmers is inevitable, and at the heart of the American testimonies on site, in the stands but also in the university teams.
However, Michael Phelps, with his 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold, an absolute record in the history of the Games, seems destined to maintain his domination. Firstly because the Frenchman’s Olympic harvest – which could well begin in Paris – will begin three years after his elder, but also because of the French swimming team, which is no match for the team composed of Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
A second record from the American giant, on the contrary, seems particularly unattainable for Léon Marchand: that of the most successful athlete in an Olympics. It is once again Michael Phelps who holds it today, with eight gold medals won (including five individually), far from the three world titles won by Léon Marchand during the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka.
