Léon Marchand Shatters French Swimming Records in Shanghai
Léon Marchand, the 22-year-old swimming sensation from Toulouse, has made waves at the short course World Cup in Shanghai, breaking multiple French records over the course of two days. On Sunday, Marchand set a new French record in the 400m medley, clocking in at an impressive 4′0′'03, surpassing the previous record held by Jérémy Stravius since 2012 (4′06′'85). This achievement follows his remarkable performance on Saturday, where he claimed the European record for the 200m medley with a time of 1′50′'30, previously held by Greece's Andreas Vazaios (1′50′'85).
Marchand's record-breaking spree began on Friday when he established a new national record for the 100m medley, finishing in 50′'65 and breaking Florent Manaudou's record of 50′'96. These accomplishments mark a triumphant return to competitive swimming for Marchand after a two-month hiatus following his outstanding performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he secured five medals, including four golds.
As he continues his Asian tour, Marchand is set to compete in the 200m breaststroke on Sunday before heading to Incheon, South Korea, and Singapore for additional stages of the short course World Cup.
