Editorial content for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships is sponsored by FINIS, a longtime partner of Swimming World and leading innovator of suits, goggles and equipment. Could Leon Marchand Add 200 Breaststroke, Race Four Individual Events in Paris? For the second consecutive World Championships, Frenchman Leon Marchand was an unstoppable force in the medley events. Marchand first broke out internationally at the Budapest Worlds in 2022, threatening the world record in the 400 IM and completing the double in the 200 IM, and this year in Fukuoka, he made it three world titles as he knocked off Michael Phelps’ 15-year-old world record in the 400 IM, pulled away for gold in the 200 butterfly and then easily won the 200 IM. Even without setting world records in either of his 200-meter races, but he now ranks third all-time in both races, sitting behind only Kristof Milak and Phelps in the 200 fly and behind Ryan Lochte and Phelps in the 200 IM. And Marchand might be one of the world’s best in a third 200-meter race except for the fact that he was unable to show off those skills last month. Marchand was finished with his individual racing program by day five at Worlds, unable to race the 200 breaststroke because the semifinals took place less than 20 minutes before the 200 IM final. In his absence, China’s Qin Haiyang completed the sweep of the breaststroke events by winning gold in a world-record time of 2:05.48, with Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook taking silver and American Matt Fallon bronze. It’s no hot take that Marchand would have won a medal if the opportunity to swim the 200 breast presented itself. Earlier this year, he swam a mark of 2:06.59 at the French Championships to jump to No. 5 all-time in the event. In Fukuoka, Stubblety-Cook swam just two tenths faster on his way to silver while Fallon’s bronze-medal time was more than one second behind Marchand’s best. And remember, Marchand swam much faster in his other events at Worlds, so he could have made a run at gold, even with Qin’s incredible, world-record breaking time. Unfortunately for Marchand, the new nine-day Olympic swimming schedule creates a conflict that will likely prevent him from racing all four of his primary individual events in front of French fans at La Defense Arena next summer. The prelims, semifinals and finals of the 200 fly and 200 breast are all in the same session, with plenty of time between the first two rounds of the two events, but the final would be a major challenge, with only minutes separating the 200 fly final and 200 breast final. Here’s what the program would look like if Marchand chooses to race all four: Marchand also figures into the French men’s 800 freestyle relay, and that event is set for Tuesday as well, creating a potential five-race logjam midway through the Olympic schedule. And as great as Marchand has proven to be over the last two years, taking on that schedule would be a near impossibility. But would he prioritize the 200 breast over the 200 fly? That cannot be ruled out, even as he enters the Olympics as reigning world champion in the butterfly. Racing in short course yards on the NCAA level, he has picked the 200 breast when given the choice between the two events in his freshman and sophomore seasons. If Milak returns and can even approximate his world-record form in the 200 fly, the Hungarian would instantly become the heavy favorite for gold. And Marchand absolutely has 2:05 potential in breaststroke, based on his short course performances and pre-Worlds long course efforts. The 21-year-old Arizona State Sun Devil has dropped the 200 breast at Worlds to focus on the 200 IM, but the decision against the 200 fly might be a different story. So don’t be shocked if the defending world champion passes on a shot at Olympic gold next year.
