Leon Marchand broke the 200-meter individual medley world record at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Thursday (July 31). He clocked a remarkable 1:52.61, shattering the previous record set by Ryan Lochte in 2011.
Leon Marchand’s record-breaking performance
Leon Marchand, the French swimming sensation who claimed four Olympic gold medals in Paris last year, delivered a brilliant performance in Singapore. His time of 1:52.61 in the 200m individual medley semifinal broke Lochte’s long-standing record of 1:54.00.
“What’s crazy is that it’s a whole second, and it’s still hard to believe,” Marchand said.
Marchand also reflected on his strategy, “In the end, I went out hard from the start. But I stayed super-relaxed. I didn’t make many mistakes.”
His powerful freestyle leg sealed the deal, earning him a $30,000 prize for the record, even though the swim was in a semifinal. With the final scheduled for Thursday, Marchand could further rewrite the record books.
Notably, he is also eyeing his own 400m IM world record of 4:02.50 on Sunday, the final day of the championships.
Standout moments from Day 4
Marchand’s performance stole the show, but Day 4 featured five finals that showcased other talented players. American Luca Urlando claimed gold in the 200m butterfly (1:51.87), a triumphant moment after overcoming multiple surgeries.
“The belief that I could get back to a moment like this. Internal belief,” Urlando said, describing his journey to his first major world title.
Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan defended her Olympic 200m freestyle title, winning in 1:53.48.
“I have had an amazing coach, Dean Boxall, to guide me through this difficult time,” she said, noting the challenges of post-Olympic recovery.
American Claire Weinstein earned bronze (1:54.57), despite some US swimmers battling illness from a pre-championship training camp.
Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi made headlines in the 800m freestyle, clocking 7:36.88, the third-fastest time ever in the event. Meanwhile, a shock came in the men’s 100m freestyle semifinals, where world-record holder Pan Zhanle of China (46.40) missed the final with a time of 47.81.
Rising stars
The women’s 200m butterfly semifinals saw Canada’s Summer McIntosh lead with 2:06.22, while 12-year-old Yu Zidi of China qualified for the final with 2:07.95.
In the mixed 4x100m medley relay, Neutral Athletes took gold (3:37.97), with the U.S. missing the final after a 10th-place qualifying finish.