Have you ever wondered how it would look if a world-class swimmer was put up against a non-swimmer? Arizona State senior women’s lacrosse player Bella Gaspar understands what it’s like. On Saturday, she got to experience the speed of world record holder and five-time world champion Leon Marchand firsthand by racing him head-to-head three times.
Gaspar, who runs a YouTube channel with her twin sister Gigi, dueled with Marchand, a junior at ASU, in three different races. The first one was a flat-out 50-yard freestyle, the second one was a race where Marchand did a 50 and Gaspar did a 25, and the third one was a 25 free where Marchand could only jump in when Gaspar was halfway finished. In each of their races, they jumped in from the ground and not off the blocks.
Marchand won the first race handily, finishing his race when Gaspar was turning at the 25-yard mark. When hand-timing the race, we recorded a time of 22.68 for Marchand and a 43.80 for Gaspar (probably better than what I could do tbh). Gaspar won the second race, swimming her 25 in 18.58 while Marchand recorded a 24.46 in his 50. Marchand was victorious in the tiebreaker race, beating Gaspar with his underwaters and going 9.50 while Gaspar went 16.64.
In the video, Gaspar said that racing Marchand was “the most humbling thing that [she’s] ever done.” She also joked that Marchand was “part-fish”, and said that it was okay losing to him because he also “makes D1 swimmers look silly.”
Although Gaspar did not do well racing against Marchand, she is a very good lacrosse player. As a defender, she started all of ASU’s 19 games during the 2023 NCAA season and led her team in caused turnovers (15). In 2021 and 2022, she was named to the Pac-12 first-team all-conference lacrosse team.
Marchand is coming off of the most successful year of his life. He recently won three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships and was named the best overall male swimmer. He also had one of the greatest NCAA Championship performances ever this March, winning three individual titles and breaking three NCAA records.
Although Marchand did not play lacrosse against Gaspar, he did try his hand at baseball recently, throwing out the first pitch at an Arizona Diamondbacks game last week.
If any of my grandchildren (only one so far, still a baby) show great sporting ability, I will certainly be suggesting scholarships in the US. I know a number of people who had them, and they have had a great time. Graduate debt free and have fantastic life experience, what’s not to like?
Living in a different country away from your friends and family, around people who grew up in a culture different than your own.
I’m not saying it isn’t a great opportunity, but it’s not for everyone
Yes, I agree. My youngest could have gone for an academic scholarship in a US university (called college there?) but decided it wasn’t for her. She chose the University of Cambridge here. However, those I know who had sport scholarships in the US really enjoyed their time there and most have settled there after graduation.
His body kind of reminds me of Le Clos. And the overall just effortlessness of his swimming.
Can we get a stroke count breakdown too
Hilarious!
Albeit he’s the best in the world in the water. Now let’s see Leon try some Lacrosse. Seems fair to me.
Word from the streets is Schooling was a 9.49 in a 25 underwater yesterday
I hear it felt monotonous.
Geez, Marchand is like 8.7 if you go from his feet leaving the wall.
Honestly, given the rec swimmers I see at the pool I coach at, 43.8 is blazing fast for a 50! For a non-swimmer, she did a pretty darn good job.
She did it without starting blocks too!
And no streamline!
she is also a college athlete and not just some rec swimmer
For sure, but being an athlete does not mean being a swimmer.
I’ve coached plenty of phenomenal athletes over the years (world ranked professional triathletes, crossfitters, loads of people in generally fantastic shape and conditioning) who are pretty terrible swimmers and wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to her in the pool.
World ranked professional triathletes who are terrible swimmers? Seriously?
I mean. 30,000th is a world rank haha
Hmmm….very true, lol. Professional though?