Leon Marchand is hoping a scaled-back schedule will give him a shot at taking out Ryan Lochte’s long-standing world record in the 200 meters individual medley when the world championships begin in Singapore on Sunday.
The Frenchman was the standout performer in the pool at last year’s Olympics, winning the 200 meters and 400 meters individual medley plus the 200 meters butterfly and 200 meters breaststroke in Paris, but will be swimming a reduced program over the coming eight days of competition.
Marchand will not participate in the butterfly or breaststroke events, leaving the 23-year-old better rested to potentially break Lochte’s 14-year-old record.
“I think this is a transition year for me so I wanted to have a lighter schedule than usual,” Marchand told the media on Saturday. “I wanted to focus on the 200 IM and the 400 IM and the relays with the French team.
“I’m really excited to do less than usual, just to see how far can I go, how fast can I go in the 200 IM.
“I’ve always done the 200 IM as a race before, the same as the rest, so it’ll be fun (to have) a lighter schedule.
“I’m just not used to starting on the Wednesday instead of the first day, which is good because I can finally cheer for my teammates.”
Marchand won gold in the 200 meters and 400 meters IM events at the 2022 and 2023 world championships and is the current world record holder in the longer of the medley events.
Lochte’s world record in the 200 meters individual medley has stood since July 2011, with Marchand swimming just six-hundredths of a second slower than the American’s 1 minute 54.00 second mark when he won Olympic gold last year.
“I’m excited for the Worlds. I want to be close to my (personal bests) in every single one of my races,” said Marchand.
“Of course, I want to break world records in the next few years. I don’t know when that’s going to happen. I still have a lot to do in the swimming world.”
Excited Marchand relishing reduced schedule in pursuit of medley record
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Excited Marchand relishing reduced schedule in pursuit of medley record
- Marchand will not participate in the butterfly or breaststroke events, leaving the 23-year-old better rested to potentially break Lochte’s 14-year-old record
Abrar’s four wicket haul helps Pakistan skittle South Africa for 143
- Quinton de Kock led South Africa with 53 off 70 balls after a strong opening stand
- Pakistan’s spinners triggered a collapse as the visitors lost nine wickets for 56 runs
FAISALABAD: Spinner Abrar Ahmed took a career-best four wicket haul as Pakistan dismissed South Africa for a paltry 143 in the third and final one-day international in Faisalabad on Saturday.
The 27-year-old grabbed 4-27 while fellow spinner Salman Agha (2-18) and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-18) shared wickets as only four batters crossed double figures after South Africa won the toss and batted.
The series is level at 1-1 with Pakistan winning the first game by two wickets and South Africa took the second by eight wickets, both in Faisalabad.
Quinton de Kock followed his hundred in the second match with a top score of 53 off 70 balls with a six and six boundaries while Lhuan-dre Pretorius knocked a 45-ball 39 with a six and four boundaries.
De Kock and Pretorius set the platform with a 72-run opening stand before the spinners hit back for Pakistan as the visitors lost their nine wickets for 56 runs.
Agha dismissed Pretorius and Tony de Zorzi for two in the space of 15 runs before left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz ended all hopes of a big total with the wicket of De Kock in the 25th over.
Abrar jolted the innings by dismissing Rubin Hermann (one), Donovan Ferreira (seven) and Corbin Bosch (nought) in successive overs.
He then ended skipper Matthew Breetzke’s resistence-filled 16 to improve on his previous best of 4-33 which came against Zimbabwe in Harare last year.
Shaheen had Nqabayomzi Peter (16) and Lungi Ngidi (nought) to wrap the innings in the 38th over.
