The Prague Post - Marchand shatters record as US, Australia win more world gold

EUR -
AED 4.291291
AFN 79.852349
ALL 97.858369
AMD 445.301568
ANG 2.091346
AOA 1071.507328
ARS 1556.236602
AUD 1.786685
AWG 2.106206
AZN 1.991075
BAM 1.955368
BBD 2.349681
BDT 141.858643
BGN 1.954046
BHD 0.439803
BIF 3479.730823
BMD 1.168492
BND 1.499469
BOB 8.061218
BRL 6.347719
BSD 1.166642
BTN 102.824271
BWP 15.705528
BYN 3.969423
BYR 22902.437531
BZD 2.346281
CAD 1.606034
CDF 3347.729174
CHF 0.950997
CLF 0.028778
CLP 1128.970447
CNY 8.332286
CNH 8.322361
COP 4699.061296
CRC 589.069789
CUC 1.168492
CUP 30.96503
CVE 110.240632
CZK 24.4549
DJF 207.744079
DKK 7.463979
DOP 73.463761
DZD 149.719905
EGP 56.047611
ERN 17.527376
ETB 166.142175
FJD 2.635421
FKP 0.865202
GBP 0.879657
GEL 3.149132
GGP 0.865202
GHS 13.70797
GIP 0.865202
GMD 83.551657
GNF 10114.764182
GTQ 8.942023
GYD 243.966073
HKD 9.111553
HNL 30.544248
HRK 7.533855
HTG 152.696247
HUF 396.609909
IDR 19182.252047
ILS 3.908044
IMP 0.865202
INR 103.022935
IQD 1528.262185
IRR 49164.289142
ISK 143.187425
JEP 0.865202
JMD 186.668738
JOD 0.828507
JPY 171.809225
KES 150.716685
KGS 102.116014
KHR 4675.966401
KMF 493.103911
KPW 1051.609664
KRW 1623.000379
KWD 0.35708
KYD 0.972231
KZT 628.451084
LAK 25314.404378
LBP 104468.50776
LKR 352.262134
LRD 233.898298
LSL 20.708123
LTL 3.450253
LVL 0.706809
LYD 6.323602
MAD 10.516775
MDL 19.435704
MGA 5135.864743
MKD 61.5264
MMK 2453.470609
MNT 4199.826003
MOP 9.366929
MRU 46.523716
MUR 53.645897
MVR 17.999141
MWK 2022.852859
MXN 21.798334
MYR 4.936923
MZN 74.670978
NAD 20.708123
NGN 1797.99369
NIO 42.93051
NOK 11.754213
NPR 164.518634
NZD 1.969313
OMR 0.443702
PAB 1.166642
PEN 4.128887
PGK 4.936909
PHP 66.7069
PKR 330.958443
PLN 4.263758
PYG 8434.135677
QAR 4.25196
RON 5.073636
RSD 117.134108
RUB 94.089202
RWF 1689.226605
SAR 4.384692
SBD 9.59369
SCR 16.559909
SDG 701.683568
SEK 11.055806
SGD 1.500388
SHP 0.918251
SLE 27.214605
SLL 24502.684557
SOS 666.752618
SRD 45.110211
STD 24185.419237
STN 24.494586
SVC 10.207744
SYP 15192.681682
SZL 20.712422
THB 37.748169
TJS 10.878495
TMT 4.101406
TND 3.404947
TOP 2.736729
TRY 48.029257
TTD 7.927248
TWD 35.731352
TZS 2922.354028
UAH 48.264031
UGX 4140.084855
USD 1.168492
UYU 46.689679
UZS 14561.781191
VES 171.649879
VND 30783.91412
VUV 139.749379
WST 3.117639
XAF 655.812036
XAG 0.030083
XAU 0.000339
XCD 3.157908
XCG 2.102535
XDR 0.81562
XOF 655.812036
XPF 119.331742
YER 280.438398
ZAR 20.627478
ZMK 10517.831775
ZMW 27.513918
ZWL 376.253854
  • RBGPF

    -0.0500

    76.95

    -0.06%

  • CMSC

    -0.1300

    23.74

    -0.55%

  • RELX

    -0.2900

    46.67

    -0.62%

  • CMSD

    -0.2800

    23.62

    -1.19%

  • BTI

    0.6800

    56.89

    +1.2%

  • GSK

    0.2300

    39.67

    +0.58%

  • NGG

    -0.2800

    70.57

    -0.4%

  • RYCEF

    0.1200

    14.62

    +0.82%

  • AZN

    -0.0900

    79.9

    -0.11%

  • RIO

    -0.1600

    62.72

    -0.26%

  • VOD

    0.0400

    11.96

    +0.33%

  • JRI

    0.1500

    13.6

    +1.1%

  • BCE

    0.1400

    24.96

    +0.56%

  • BCC

    -0.2700

    87

    -0.31%

  • SCS

    0.0200

    16.74

    +0.12%

  • BP

    -0.1200

    35.23

    -0.34%

Marchand shatters record as US, Australia win more world gold
Marchand shatters record as US, Australia win more world gold / Photo: François-Xavier MARIT - AFP

Marchand shatters record as US, Australia win more world gold

Leon Marchand smashed the 200m individual medley world record in Singapore on Wednesday with another breathtaking swim while Australia and the United States celebrated more gold.

Text size:

Racing in the semi-finals at the world championships, the 23-year-old Frenchman wiped more than a second off the previous record of 1:54.00 set by Ryan Lochte in 2011.

Marchand beat Michael Phelps's long-standing 400m medley record at the world championships in Japan two years ago.

"Actually I can't believe it right now," said Marchand, who won four individual golds in front of his home fans at the Paris Olympics a year ago and was the face of the Games.

"I knew I was going to be close to my PB (personal best) because I felt really good today and preparation has been pretty good.

"But 1:52 is unbelievable for me."

Marchand took an extended break from swimming after Paris and only returned to competition in May.

He is focusing on the individual medley events in Singapore and had said he was gunning for Lochte's record.

Marchand got his world championships campaign under way on Wednesday morning, clocking a time of 1:57.63 in the heats.

He said he would go all-out for the record in the semi-finals rather than conserve his energy for Thursday's final.

- 'Whirlwind' -

In Wednesday's finals, Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi won the 800m freestyle thanks to a perfectly timed attack.

Jaouadi made his move midway through the race and eased away to touch the wall in 7min 36.88sec, ahead of German pair Sven Schwarz (7:39.96) and 400m champion Lukas Maertens (7:40.19).

Jaouadi, who finished fourth at last year's Paris Olympics, clocked the third-fastest time ever.

"At some point I saw that the rhythm wasn't that fast so I decided to just go and make the move," said the 20-year-old.

Ireland's Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen finished last.

Australia's Olympic champion Mollie O'Callaghan was just as emphatic in romping to victory in the women's 200m freestyle in 1:53.48.

Second was China's Li Bingjie (1:54.52) and third Claire Weinstein of the United States (1:54.67).

O'Callaghan said it had been a "whirlwind".

Since winning gold at the Paris Games, O'Callaghan has been injured and had some badly needed time to recharge.

She has spoken about struggling to live up to the hype since Paris.

"I know it's been hard for a lot of people to come back after the Olympics but very grateful to have a good support team behind me to get me through this mentally and physically," said the 21-year-old.

Luca Urlando of the United States celebrated the biggest title of his career with gold in the 200m butterfly in 1:51.87.

Italy's Simone Cerasuolo pipped Russian Kirill Prigoda to 50m breaststroke gold, touching home in 26.54sec.

A "neutral athletes" team made up of Russian swimmers won the mixed 4x100m medley relay, finishing ahead of China and Canada.

After four days of the championships, Australia lead the medals table with four golds, with the United States on three and Germany and Canada two.

Summer McIntosh of Canada will be looking to make it three golds for herself in as many races on Thursday when she goes in the 200m butterfly.

Also in the final is China's 12-year-old schoolgirl Yu Zidi, as she attempts to bag a historic medal on her debut competition on the world stage.

T.Musil--TPP