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Léon Marchand tops Ryan Lochte’s 200m IM world record; Regan Smith breaks own world record set a week ago

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Léon Marchand tops Ryan Lochte’s 200m IM world record; Regan Smith breaks own world record set a week ago

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE – NOVEMBER 01: Leon Marchand of France celebrates after winning and setting a new world record in the men’s 200m individual medley final during day two of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 Singapore Stop at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on November 01, 2024 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

Léon Marchand of France set a short course, 25-meter world record on Friday with a time of 1:48.88 in the 200m individual medley at the World Aquatics World Cup in Singapore.

Marchand’s winning time broke Ryan Lochte’s record of 1:49.63 that had stood since 2012.

“That was really exciting for me, because I was trying to do something that has never (been) done before,” said the 22-year-old Marchand. “The crowd was going crazy, so it was really pushing me. … That reminded me of Paris, the Olympics.”

In Paris, Marchand left with individual medals in the 200m breaststroke, 200m butterfly, 200m medley, and 400m medley, along with a bronze in the 4x100m medley.

Friday’s achievement is Marchand’s second career world record after he topped Michael Phelps’ record in the long course, 50-meter 400m IM in 2023.

Last Friday, American Regan Smith finished with a world record time in the 100m backstroke at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup. One week later, and one race after Marchand set his own world record, Smith did it again in the same event.

Smith, an eight-time Olympic medalist and a five-time World Champion, finished with a time of 54.27 to top her record of 54.41 set last week in Incheon, South Korea.

“We want to be good, better, best, and this is stop three,” Smith said afterward.

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