After a strong eight-medal showing at last year’s World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, France has a strong team ready to repeat its success in Fukuoka before the focus shifts to the big show in Paris 2024.
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The 20th edition will take place from 14 to 30 July 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan.
Last year’s swimmer of the meet in Hungary was Leon Marchand, who won both the 200m and 400m and was also the silver medalist in the 200m butterfly.
Marchand drew a lot of attention with his 400m swim on opening night when he swam the second fastest time in history with his 4:04.28 as he threw a serious challenge at the world record of 4:03.84 by USA’s Michael Phelps that has largely gone untouched since it was set in 2008.
Phelps has had the world record for the better part of 20 years, initially setting it in 2002 at 4:11.09, before breaking it seven more times down to where it is now.
Last month, Phelps broke the record for the longest time holding a world record in a single swimming event, giving this record added value if Marchand is able to take it down this summer.
Marchand was just three months old when Phelps first broke the world record in the 400m IM and will have all eyes in the Marine Messe on him when he lines up for the event in Fukuoka on July 23.
Marchand holds the No 1 time in the world this year with a 4:07.80 as he will take aim at the record on night one.
If he is to take down the record, it will add even more intrigue around him in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics - putting himself up there as France’s top hope for gold at a home Olympics.
He has held his poise well since last year’s championships, not giving in to the pressure put on him by media outlets and fans following him. But as the days go on and the Paris Olympics near, the intrigue rises around the now 21-year-old from Toulouse.
Marchand will also be racing the 200m where he is the defending World champion and will take a stab at the world record set by Ryan Lochte at 1:54.00 set in 2011, where he was 1:55 last year in winning the World title.
Source: www.worldaquatics.com