The 5 Most Anticipated Men’s Swimming Matchups of 2023: Marchand Chasing World Records

by David Rieder - Senior Writer

22 December 2022, 05:39am

The 5 Most Anticipated Men’s Swimming Matchups of 2023: Marchand Chasing World Records

Four men lowered individual long course world records in Olympic events 2022: Zac Stubblety-Cook in the 200 breaststroke, Thomas Ceccon in the 100 backstroke, Kristof Milak in the 200 butterfly and David Popovici in the 100 freestyle. Those remarkable achievements, particularly what Popovici pulled off in reaching historic levels in both the 100 and 200 free as a teenager, overshadowed the accomplishments of a 20-year-old who became the world’s top all-around swimmer in 2022.

After we considered the top women’s matchups we are watching for 2022, the top spot on the men’s list involves whether Leon Marchand can take down the final individual world record held by Michael Phelps.

1. Leon Marchand vs. World Record — 400 IM

At the World Championships in Budapest, Marchand turned at the 300-meter mark more than a second inside Phelps’ world-record pace. For a moment, it appeared the 23-time Olympic gold medalist’s mark of 4:03.84, set 14 years earlier at the Beijing Olympics, was in jeopardy. Marchand would fall off the pace on the freestyle leg, but he still finished in 4:04.28, less than a half-second off the mark and good for the second-fastest time in history.

It would have been fair to rank a handful of Marchand races among the most anticipated of 2023: his rematches against American Carson Foster in the medley events on the global level (plus potentially Duncan Scott and Shaine Casas in the 200 IM) or the 400-yard IM against Foster and Hugo Gonzalez at the NCAA Championships in March. When Marchand competes at his second NCAA Championships for the Arizona State Sun Devils, he will be favored to capture three individual titles (both IM events plus either the 200 breast or 200 fly), and he is a threat to swim the fastest time ever in all of those races. But no accomplishment could be more significant than chasing down a Phelps record — the last Phelps record — that has been so elusive for so long.

2. David Popovici vs. Kyle Chalmers vs. Caeleb Dressel (maybe) — 100 Freestyle

David Popovici — Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

While Popovici was resetting the limits of what is possible in the 100 free this summer, Chalmers was putting together one of the best seasons of his career. He was a star on relays for Australia at the long course World Championships before winning four medals, three of them gold, at the Commonwealth Games. He was just off his own world record in securing a short course world title in the 100 free last week. Next year, Chalmers is set to face off against Popovici in a long course 100 free for the first time since Popovici’s explosion to gold-medal status. Could this 24-year-old Aussie finally get under the 47-second barrier and make a run at his first long course world title?

And then there’s Dressel, the American who touched out Chalmers for 100 free Olympic gold in 2021 and the world title two years earlier. Dressel has not competed since leaving early from the World Championships in June. His plans for this year are unknown. If Dressel is on form, he has more speed than either Chalmers or Popovici, and he would be in position to try to hold off his rivals down the stretch. Seeing all three of these men in top form and racing for a gold medal would be a treat for swimming fans.

3. Gregorio Paltrinieri vs. Bobby Finke vs. Florian Wellbrock vs. Mykhailo Romanchuk — 800 & 1500 Freestyle

The men’s distance freestyle events have become seen increased drama over the past two years as Finke’s finishing speed has become legendary. After he stole away Olympic gold in the 800 and 1500 free at the 2021 Olympics, he pulled off the same fast-finishing trick in the 800 free at the 2022 World Championships before adding a silver medal in the 1500 free. Meanwhile, Paltrinieri finished a disappointing fourth in that 800 free race, but since then, he has looked rejuvenated. He annihilated the field in the 1500 free while swimming the second-fastest time in history, and he won both distance races at Short Course Worlds. With Wellbrock and Romanchuk joining Paltrinieri and Finke as central players, these races are must-watch drama, and they always come down to the end. Expect more of the same at the long course World Championships in 2023.

4. Adam Peaty vs. the Field — 100 Breaststroke

Adam Peaty — Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

For the first time in eight years, Peaty was vulnerable in 2022. He missed the World Championships (and chances for four-peat gold in the 100 breast and 50 breast) because of an injury, and then he finished a stunning fourth in the 100 breast at the Commonwealth Games. This is the same Peaty whose world record of 56.88 is almost a second faster than any other man in history. He will look to reclaim the throne in 2023 against swimmers such as Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, the Netherlands’ Arno Kamminga and the United States’ Nic Fink. Those three comprised the 100 breast podium at Worlds in June.

Peaty is a doubt-at-your-own risk swimmer, and after his bronze in the 100 breast at Short Course Worlds, you get the sense that Peaty is trending in the right direction. “I feel pure anger, which is very dangerous. I am loving it,” he said. “I am looking forward to a challenge, and this is the high that I need.”

5. United States vs. Italy vs. Great Britain — 400 Medley Relay

At two consecutive editions of the World Championships, the United States team has seen a late lead in the 400 medley relay evaporate. In 2019, Great Britain pulled off a stunner before Italy’s Alessandro Miressi overtook American Ryan Held to win gold in 2022. The U.S. and Italy figure to go head-to-head again in 2023, with Ceccon and Martinenghi providing the opening punch for the Italians while the American lineup is somewhat in flux, particularly with the uncertainty surrounding Dressel. And if Peaty can return to top form and his 56-mid breaststroke splits, you can expect the British to be in the mix once again with. The Americans probably have the most potential for speed on this relay with a plethora of options, particularly for butterfly and freestyle, but there will be no chance at winning gold if the U.S. coaches do not ace their lineup decisions.

Meanwhile, the return of Duncan Scott to the World Championships should put Great Britain in position to challenge the resurgent Americans in the 800 free relay. The U.S. team of Drew Kibler, Foster, Trenton Julian and Kieran Smith dominated the race at the long course World Championships before the same four men (with Smith leading off and Kibler anchoring) set a world record in winning Short Course Worlds gold last week, but a full-strength British squad of Scott and Tom Dean likely joined by James Guy and Matt Richards would make for formidable competition.

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Anna

1 year ago

Great article

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Robert Fowler

1 year ago

sick! congrats

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