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
Although we saw this coming for the last year, it was still electric when Leon Marchand broke Michael Phelps‘s 400 IM world record on the opening night of the of the 2023 World Championships.
But Marchand didn’t just get under Phelps’ old record time of 4:03.84 from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but he was under it by over a second, going 4:02.50.
Headed into the meet, Marchand’s best time was a 4:04.28, which was from the 2022 World Championships. That time was originally the second fastest time in history behind Phelps’ former world record.
In his race, Marchand was 0.26 seconds faster than Phelps’ record on fly, and nearly three seconds faster on breast. However, he was slower than Phelps on back and free. Compared to his previous best time, he was nearly a second faster on fly and over a second faster on backstroke.
Splits Comparison:
| Leon Marchand, 2023 World Championships | Michael Phelps, 2008 Summer Olympics | Leon Marchand, 2022 World Championships | |
| Fly | 54.66 | 54.92 | 55.54 |
| Back | 1:01.98 | 1:01.57 | 1:03.12 |
| Breast | 1:07.64 | 1:10.56 | 1:07.28 |
| Free | 58.22 | 56.79 | 58.34 |
| Total | 4:02.50 | 4:03.84 | 4:04.28 |
This June, Phelps became the longest-standing world record holder in an event with his 400 IM. In total, he held the world record for 20 years and 342 days. His world record time of 4:03.84 had also been the oldest long course world record in swimming. Now, that title belongs to Paul Biedermann’s 400 free world record.
Phelps had been in the NBC announcing booth with Rowdy Gaines when Marchand broke his record. He also presented the 400 IM medals afterwards.
Watch the race video here via NBC:
Watch SwimSwam’s reaction video of Leon’s race here:
I’m sure it’s been said before but Phelps record was super suited which is why it makes this record that much more special. The margin was akin to when Biederman body length best Phelps to break the 200m world record
Celebrity doppleganger: Will Poulter.
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And it can go lower
Sub 4:00 is definitely within striking distance. You can see the talent, how long and comfortable he looks in the water, and it’s hard to imagine that the underwater as could get much better, but no way his individual strokes (freestyle and backstroke especially) aren’t going to improve considerably with more training, refining of technique, and experience. Remember how Phelps looked in the water in 2002 with his 4:11, and compare that to 2008. And if ever there were a coach whose forte was long term planning and execution, it would be Bowman. Scary to think, but Marchand could really just be getting started. To me at least, this does not look like a peak performance.
Agreed.
When Phelps broke Dolan’s 400 IM WR, a WR that stood in the 4:11-4:12 range for a decade prior, would anyone have believed he could lower it by almost 8 seconds (7.92 to be exact) over the next six years?
Phelps recalibrated what we thought was humanly possible in this and other events, and there are a lot of reasons to think Marchand will do the same.
He and Bowman surely have their sights on sub 4:00.
Bobo Gigi WHERE ARE YOU?
Love reading your insights.
You’re missed. I’m sure you’re ecstatic right now. I am.
If Marchand drops a 4:05-4:04 on the Pro Series next year, he’s going a 3:59-low in Paris.
Carson Foster is the new Laszlo Ceh , super elite swimmer ,but the chosen one swims the same events
His best shot at gold is surprisingly the 200 back which might be his 4th best event overall
Yup kids 10-20, focus on the 200 back because the IMs have a king for the next decade
The second half of Marchand’s breaststroke leg was incredible. His split for the second 50 (33.77) was faster than for his first 50 (33.87) and 1.5 seconds faster than anyone else in the final (next best: Kalisz at 35.27).