A new swimming myth is being forged in the pools of the Fukuoka World Cup, while the records of another are being left in the past. The 21-year-old Frenchman Léon Marchand won the 400 IM test with great solvency, pulverizing Michael Phelps’s world record in the category, the last one in an individual test that the American still held. The ‘Baltimore shark’ perfectly exemplified the era that began on the podium at the Marine Messe complex, where he presented the gold medal to the French swimmer.
The man from Toulouse swam 15 years later in 4:02.50, faster than the 4:03.84 set by Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the American won eight gold medals and seven world records. “We exchanged messages. He told me that if I had any questions, I shouldn’t hesitate to ask him. We talked, he helps me… It’s great!” Marchand recently explained about his relationship with Phelps, who still holds the records for the 4×100 freestyle, the 4×100 medley and the 4×200 freestyle shared with the United States team.
The French prodigy, who was already the current world champion in the specialty, swam above Phelps’ mark throughout the race and only fatigue in the last meters prevented the gap with the American legend from being greater. Far behind, more than four seconds, finished the American Carson Foster, who hung the silver. The home fans were also delighted when they saw the Japanese Daiya Seto take bronze, less than a second ahead of the American Chase Kalisz but more than six seconds behind Marchand.
“It’s been crazy, one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. It was amazing to do it here and the weather is crazy,” said Marchand, a great protagonist of the day with the Australian team and especially Ariarne Titmus, 400 freestyle champion with a world record ahead of Ledecky and McIntosh in the so-called “race of the century”.
“The best is yet to come,” added Marchand, who is trained by Phelps’ former mentor Bob Bowman. “He already told me that I look like Phelps because I am capable of giving my all regardless of the circumstances. If I don’t sleep well or have had a bad day, I can still be consistent and give my best in training”, revealed the Frenchman, before the World Cup, a few words from his coach.
For the Frenchman, who already won three medals at the last World Cup (gold in the 200 and 400 IM and silver in the 200 butterfly), the victory in the 400 IM could be the first of many in Fukuoka, where he could definitely become a new swimming hero.
