World Championships, Day 4 Prelims: Leon Marchand Leads 200 IM in 1:57.53
At the Paris Olympics, it seemed like hardly a day passed without Leon Marchand being in the water – and thus winning gold medals, and taking calls from international dignitaries, etc. etc.
But the French all-conquering hero of last summer’s Olympics has dialed back his expansive program this summer at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore to focus on the individual medleys. With the changed program moving the 400 IM deeper into the week, that means Marchand has been a spectator for the first three days in Singapore. But that ends Wednesday morning, with Marchand contesting the 200 IM, where he has explicitly targeted the world record.
Marchand led the way with a time of 1:57.63, the fastest of the prelims heats in the 200 IM in the fourth morning session. Also in action were backstroke medal-winning American women Regan Smith and Katharine Berkoff, a duel between Kyle Chalmers and Pan Zhanle in the 100 free and the return of Summer McIntosh to the water in the women’s 200 butterfly. The session will conclude with the mixed medley relay prelims.
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Women’s 50 backstroke
The usual suspects are all assembled, minus the scratched Kaylee McKeown. Another veteran Kylie – Kylie Masse of Canada, led the way in 27.46 seconds. Katharine Berkoff of the U.S., fresh off a bronze in the 100, tied with China’s Wan Leitan for third in 27.59. Regan Smith, the silver medalist in the 100 back, was fifth in 27.67.
The second-fastest time was put in by Neutral Athelte Alina Gaifutdinova in 25.75. Ingrid Wilm was eighth to make it back, with Maaike de Waard ninth, Danielle Hill 10th, Roos Vanotterdijk 12th and Mary-Ambre Moluh 13th.
Just 0.51 seconds separated the 16 finalists, and a swim-off was required to cull that from 17 to 16. Lauren Cox of Great Britain and Mexico’s Celia Pulido tied for 16th in 27.97, then Cox came past Pulido in the swim-off on the second half, winning in 27.64.
Men’s 100 freestyle
David Popovici set the pace in a jumped prelims of the men’s 100 free, fastest of the 110 swimmers who took part in 47.41 seconds. All of the big names are more or less represented, though some had a rougher go of it than others.
Second was Kyle Chalmers of Australia, winning a fast 12th and final heat in 47.48. He was followed closely by the Neutral Athletes Egor Kornev (47.51) and countryman Flynn Southam (47.73) in his semis heat. Fourth in that heat and sixth overall was Pan Zhanle of China in 47.86, with Maxime Grousset of France, the Heat 10 winner, fifth in 47.84.
Matt Richards delivered a strong time to finish seventh in 47.89. It took sub-48 for the top eight, with Sun-Woo Hwang rounding it out.
Also through are Americans Patrick Sammon (ninth) and Jack Alexy (tied for 10th with Nandor Nemeth). Gui Caribe got through in 15th in 48.27. Speaking of Tennessee sprinters, Lamar Taylor was the fastest swimmer from outside the circle-seeded heats, with a national record 48.52, three tenths quicker than he was in Paris.
Men’s 200 individual medley
Leon Marchand led the way with an easy, breezy 1:57.63. He pushed hard for the first 150 or so before shutting it down in the final 50 meters.
Sensing Marchand’s form, the field went with him in the final heat of five, which produced the top four finishers. Second was Kosuke Makino in 1:57.74. Shaine Casas qualified easily in third in 1:57.76, and Marchand’s Arizona State and Austin buddy Hubert Kos was fourth in 1:57.93.
Great Britain’s Duncan Scott won the fourth heat in 1:58.00 for fifth overall, followed Ilia Borodin and Alberto Razzetti. The heat differences meant Carson Foster, who won the third heat (the first of the circle-seeded heats) was just eighth in 1:58.19. He was followed by Lewis Clareburt, Tomoyuki Matsushita and Wang Shun.
Women’s 200 butterfly
An event with 27 total entrants contained no surprises in culling it to 16. Summer McIntosh led the way in a ho-hum 2:07.07, nearly passed when she shut it down coming home by Brittany Castelluzzo of Australia. Regan Smith, on the back end of a double, was third in 2:08.17. Elizabeth Dekkers won the first heat of three to finish fourth in 2:08.45, a half-second up on Yu Zidi, the Chinese 12-year-old. Caroline Bricker was eighth to make the semis.
Mixed medley relay
The only two teams to win this event at the Olympics are out in prelims. The U.S. is out in 10th place. Great Britain was 12th.
So who’s in?
Italy, with the team of Christian Bacico, Ludovico Viberti, Costanza Cocconcelli and Sara Curtis, who led the way in 3:42.19. The Netherlands, with a solid squad of Maaike de Waard, Caspar Corbeau, Nyls Korstanje and Milou van Wijk in 3:42.56. And China in in 3:42.81, with Xu Jiayu, Dong Zhihao, Yu Yiting, Cheng Yujie and at least two changes looming. There’s also Australia, which went 3:43.11 and could make four alterations.
Canada, Japan, Neutral Athletes B and Poland round out the final eight. Which, again, does not feature the Americans.
