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Leon Marchand Becomes Fastest Freshman Of All Time in 200 IM; Polonsky #3

2022 MEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

During Thursday night’s finals session of the Men’s Pac-12 Championships, Leon Marchand of Arizona State won the 200 IM (1:39.65) en-route to becoming the fastest NCAA freshman of all-time, and the fastest in the NCAA this year. His time also breaks the Pac-12 championship record, which was set by David Nolan of Stanford (1:40.07) in 2015. 

Marchand led the way for ASU going 1-2 in the event, with senior teammate Grant House touching 2nd (1:40.66), which is 2nd in the NCAA rankings this year. Taking 3rd was Stanford freshman Ron Polonsky (1:40.71), which is the 3rd fastest freshman performance in history, and the 4th fastest time in the NCAA this season. 

Marchand now becomes the first freshman in NCAA history to break the 1:40-second barrier in the 200 IM. His time sits just ahead of Cal’s Destin Lasco, who was the previous fastest freshman in the event with his time from the 2021 NCAA Championships (1:40.01). Polonsky’s time sits behind Lasco’s in the freshman rankings. 

Updated Freshman Rankings:

  1. Leon Marchand, Arizona State 1:39.65 (2022)
  2. Destin Lasco, Cal,1:40.01 (2021)
  3. Hugo Gonzalez, Auburn, 1:40.67 (2018)
  4. Ron Polonsky, Stanford, 1:40.71 (2022)
  5. Carson Foster, Texas 1:40.99 (2021)
  6. Gal Cohen-Groumi, Michigan, 1:41.54 (2022)
  7. Andrew Seliskar, Cal, 1:41.65 (2016)
  8. Ryan Murphy, Cal, 1:42.24 (2014)
  9. Kieran Smith, Florida, 1:42.26 (2019)
  10. Shaine Casas, Texas A&M, 1:42.29 (2019)

Marchand also climbed into the top-performers rankings. His time from Friday now makes him the 8th fastest performer in history. Prior to the Pac-12 championships, he was the 22nd fastest performer in history.

Updated Top Performers Rankings:

  1. Caeleb Dressel, 1:38.13, 2018
  2. Andrew Seliskar, 1:38.14. 2019
  3. Shaine Casas, 1:38.95, 2020
  4. Andreas Vazaios, 1:39.35, 2019
  5. David Nolan, 1:39.38, 2015
  6. Jan Switkowski, 1:39.54, 2018
  7. John Shebat, 1:39.63, 2019
  8. Leon Marchand, 1:39.65, 2022
  9. Hugo Gonzalez, 1:39.99, 2021
  10. Destin Lasco, 1:40.01, 2021

In terms of all-time top performances, Marchand’s time is the 10th fastest swim in history.

Updated Top Performances Rankings:

  1. Caeleb Dressel, 1:38.13, 2018
  2. Andrew Seliskar, 1:38.14. 2019
  3. Shaine Casas, 1:38.95, 2020
  4. Shaine Casas, 1:39.26, 2021
  5. Andreas Vazaios, 1:39.35, 2019
  6. David Nolan, 1:39.38, 2015
  7. Shaine Casas, 1:39.53, 2021
  8. Jan Switkowski, 1:39.54, 2018
  9. John Shebat, 1:39.63, 2019
  10. Leon Marchand, 1:39.65, 2022

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?????
2 years ago

3 or 4 all time? Hugo is 3 in rankings, but you have polonsky listed as #3 several times

Bingbong
2 years ago

He’s lucky to have a training partner like Ethan Luc. No way he would’ve been able to do it without the enhanced cranium present.

Swimmer
2 years ago

Unpopular opinion, this guy will beat carson foster in the 4IM at NCAA. Thoughts?

Kyle Sockwell
Reply to  Swimmer
2 years ago

Not all that unpopular I don’t think

Bobo Gigi
Reply to  Swimmer
2 years ago

Why unpopular?
I like both guys.
I follow Carson Foster’s development since he broke a Michael Phelps’ 10 and under NAG record. And it’s cool to see the great swimmer he has become a decade later.
Léon Marchand is the new IM king for the years to come. He had very good fly, breast and free. But looks like he has no more weakness as his backstroke has tremendously improved in the last few months under Bob Bowman. I’m pretty sure he has also added a few pounds of muscles and here are the first results. He has taken power and speed and improved his underwaters. Thank you Bob for buiding an IM monster with Paris 2024… Read more »

PFA
Reply to  Swimmer
2 years ago

I’d argue that both of them will go under the record but it will be close to each other

PFA
2 years ago

Leon might actually get close to the 4 IM record at the meet

Caleb
Reply to  PFA
2 years ago

That record is getting smashed and Marchand is the clear favorite.

Guy
2 years ago

Shouldn’t Luca urlando be on the all-time freshman list?

Swimmer
2 years ago

Foster?

M L
2 years ago

Didn’t Nolan go 1:41 in HS? How much slower was he as a freshman?

Joe
Reply to  M L
2 years ago

Nolan had a seed time of 1:42.52 at 2012 NCAAs, so probably should be #7 on the list

Random123
Reply to  Joe
2 years ago

yep he swam that at Pac-12s

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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