FUKUOKA — With Michael Phelps in attendance – and giving out the medals to the event – France’s Leon Marchand smashed Phelps’ final World Record with his 4 minutes, 2.50 seconds swim in the men’s 400m individual medley.
Marchand set the record on the first day of eight in the pool at the World Aquatics Championships - Fukuoka 2023.
Under World Record pace throughout the swim, the now-two-time 400m IM world champion left no doubt about the race's outcome with his breaststroke leg.
Phelps had been the World Record-holder in the men's 400m IM since 15 August 2022, the longest uninterrupted streak in swimming history in the 50m pool.
The 21-year-old Frenchman trains at Arizona State under Phelps’ career-long coach Bob Bowman.
Watch It One More Time
THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE 🫣
— World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) July 23, 2023
🇫🇷Leon Marchand beat the longest World Record in the books after 21 years!!!@FFNatation #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/QgfIzQVFLI