2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
Short-course swimming might get some flack because competitors spend a good portion of their race underwater, but it turns out that there are still walls and turns in long course, even if fewer than in long course. That means that the techniques from the small pool can also be utilized to help a swimmer in long course.
According to an analysis by human performance researcher Ricardo Peterson Silveira (@rpsportscience on Twitter), short course swimming may have played a big part in French swimmer Leon Marchand taking down Michael Phelps‘ long-standing World Record in the 400 IM at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka on Sunday.
According to Silveira’s study, the difference in Marchand’s improvement came from his improvements underwater. The combined time it took for Marchand to swim 15 meters off of each wall in his 2023 Worlds race was 2.04 seconds faster than it was at the 2022 Worlds in Budapest, where he set his previous best time. In total, Marchand swam a time of 4:02.50 on Sunday, which is 1.78 seconds faster than his 2022 Worlds time of 4:04.22.
Meanwhile, Silveira found that Marchand’s performance on the surface in Fukuoka wasn’t much different than it was in Budapest, as he had similar swimming speed, stroke count, and stroke frequency in both meets.
🌎 A world record broken in the details 📈
🇫🇷 @leon_marchand significantly improved what was already one of his best qualities: the underwaters!
🎯 He managed to shave 2.04 s of the time to reach 15 m after each wall (start and turns), lowering his time by 1.78 s. pic.twitter.com/k47FpZcqqG
— Ricardo Peterson Silveira (@rpsportscience) July 23, 2023
Overall, no major changes in his swimming speed on the surface, with room for improvements in terms of stroke length 🏊♂️🔥
Congratulations to Leon and all his team at @FFNatation @dauphinsdutoec @ASUSwimDive on this incredible achievement!@coach_bowman @sokin_le_coach pic.twitter.com/JiBnXZsmbR
— Ricardo Peterson Silveira (@rpsportscience) July 23, 2023
The majority of a swimmer’s first 15 meters off each wall is spent underwater, which is why underwaters are such a crucial aspect in short course swimming but are less emphasized in long course. Underwaters are one of Marchand’s biggest strength—Phelps even said on the 400 IM NBC broadcast that Marchand pushes his underwaters to 15 meters at every single wall.
Marchand, who is a rising junior at Arizona State, is arguably the best short course yards swimmer in the NCAA. Prior to breaking the 400 IM world record, he shaved over three seconds off the NCAA record in the event this March, which culminated in a 3:28.82 clocked at the 2023 Championships.
To see how Marchand’s underwaters have gotten faster over the last year, take a look at his 400 IM from 2022 and 2023 in the videos down below (courtesy of NBC sports):
I don’t know if Marchand is going to race the 200 m breastroke, as the semis are 13 or 10 min before the 200 IM final, but what concerns me the most is his ability to maintain such a high level during the full week. There are different scenarii possible:
1- the best one would look like what he did during the NCAA season, where he was able to perform in every race and break several records.
2- the worst would be what he showed during the french championships, where he broke the 200 m breaststroke french record (this was his first race) and then lacked of energy for the remaining events.
3- the most likely, in… Read more »
I don’t think it’s realistic for Marchand to swim both the 200 breast and 200 IM. The 200 breast semi is right before the 200 IM final. There isn’t even a women’s event in between. If they’d put the 200 breast final right before the 200 IM semi (or if he had more time to rest between events), then he might be able to attempt the double, but not with the semi before the final.
In Paris there is only a conflict with the 200 breast and 200 fly, where I think he should clearly choose the 200 breast.
Having been on the deck on ASU home meets, I have observed that Coach Bowman closely watches carefully and quietly advises swimmers after every race. No yelling!
Meanwhile Boxall is one of the loudest presences on pooldeck I’ve ever been around and he has 10 swimmers on the Australian team.
I think for coaches authenticity is the key. Bowman could not be boxall any more than boxall could be bowman.
Ah, I see. USA trying to take the credit for Marchand’s improvement?
Yeah, USA swimmers are the only with underwaters. Are you that much dumb or you push it?
I am far from ‘dumb’. It was meant as a joke!
By the way…is ‘that much dumb’ actually English language there? It certainly isn’t in England!
How he darted 15m underwater after the 7th turn left me speechless.
His turn and underwater is sublime.
Regan Smith also has improved on her turns and underwater.
Both have something in common:
GOAT COACH.
hehehe i bet the bathtub haters are loving this article
I think that’s why this article was written.
LOL at the “bathtub” commenters
nowhere ceilings until when everyone does 15m off each wall in long course