Leon Marchand, Regan Smith smash world records & collect triple crowns

France’s Leon Marchand took down one of the oldest World Records in men’s short course swimming on Friday night at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Singapore, lowering the 200m IM mark to 1:48.88. Ryan Lochte’s 1:49.63 had stood since December 2012, and was one of the oldest on the books, having not been touched for nearly 12 years.

On Friday, Marchand became the second to break 1:50, and he emphatically took the world record with him, along with his second triple crown of the World Cup this year.

Marchand was hardly touched throughout, despite a stellar swim from Duncan Scott (1:51.14) in second.

This is the first short course meters world record of Marchand’s career after he famously broke Michael Phelps’s last remaining long course world record in 2023.

“I was really going for that,” Marchand said. “Honestly, I was six tenths from it two weeks ago, and I knew I could improve a lot of stuff. So that's what I did. I went a little bit faster in the first 100 and then when I touched the wall, I could actually see the big screen ‘world record’ and the crowd going crazy, so I kind of knew about it. And yeah, the time is really cool for me, so I'm happy with it.”

This is Marchand’s eighth win in an IM race during this World Cup circuit, as he has a chance for a third triple crown tomorrow in the 400m IM.

Not long after Marchand’s world record, American Regan Smith lowered her own world record in the 100m backstroke, chopping 0.14 off her mark she set last week in Incheon, swimming 54.27 in Singapore.

“It feels good,” Smith said. “Really happy that I was able to improve on my time from last week, and I had a good time while doing it.

“Last week didn't really hurt too bad, this week I think I really attacked this one. I didn't quite have it coming home, so my legs are screaming.”

Smith was out sixth tenths ahead of her record pace and left the field in her wake. She was also able to collect the triple crown in the process as she was largely untouched, with fellow American Beata Nelson in second at 55.72. Smith has an opportunity for another triple crown tomorrow in the 200m backstroke where the world record is possible.

With one day to go, Smith is in a tight battle for the overall standings with fellow American Kate Douglass, who collected her third triple crown with a win in the 50m butterfly at 24.42. Douglass’s time was 0.04 off of Therese Alshammar’s world record set all the way back in 2009, which is the oldest women’s short course record on the books.

Douglass broke her own American record in the process, which she set two weeks ago in Shanghai at 24.54.

“I'm happy with the result,” Douglass said. “I wanted to win all three of those events. So, yeah, I couldn't be happier. That was my best time so far throughout the series, and so that was kind of my goal coming into tonight.”

Three more athletes won triple crown titles on Friday night, with an additional $10,000 in the pocket.

China’s Qin Haiyang won the 50m breaststroke narrowly over Ilya Shymanovich by 0.06, with Qin winning his third straight at 25.47 to Shymanovich’s 25.53. The time is not an Asian record for Qin, as he was faster in Shanghai, but he achieved his triple crown.

China was also able to celebrate a triple crown with Tang Qianting winning the 100m breaststroke at 1:03.10. Tang swam faster this year five times, but she dominated the field in Singapore, winning by a full second over Alina Zmushka (1:04.11).

Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, China was the last triple crown winner as she fought for every meter in the 200m freestyle final as she won from lane seven at 1:51.80. Haughey swam faster in Shanghai and Incheon, but she completed the triple by holding off China’s Yang Junxuan, who has quietly had a very good year of racing at the Olympics and at these World Cups. Yang was second at 1:52.07.

“This is the third stop, so I'm a little bit more tired, but overall I'm still pretty happy with it,” Haughey said. “And I think I just wanted to wear the crown because it's like a costume party, continuing with the theme from yesterday.

“I didn’t really see Yang in the last 50. I thought she's a little far away, but even if I did see her, I think I would just focus on my own strategy and the way I would swim it.”

Two swimmers were unable to finish off the triple crown as Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey was unable to run down American Katie Grimes in the 400m IM final as the Olympic silver medalist Grimes took the race out hard and hung on to win at 4:24.19. Harvey was second at 4:25.33.

“I'm not gonna lie, the position kind of sucks but the time itself, I'm really pleased with it,” Harvey said. “I retired from the 400 IM five years ago, and I'm just starting to do it again. And this really gives me confidence that I can race Katie (Grimes) and Summer (McIntosh). Maybe not Summer yet, but I think it's quite open for silver and bronze medal right now in the 400 IM and I want to get there. I feel I’m in the right direction.”

The time is a personal best for Harvey as she is now 13th all-time. Grimes moved up to 11th all-time with her swim as this is her first and only stop of the World Cup circuit this year.

“It was good,” Grimes said. “It's just not really the time I wanted, but it's fun to race. That's all I wanted to do was have fun. Just like doing the best I can, and I'm happy with whatever comes of it. But yeah, I'm just having fun.”

American Trenton Julian was also unable to finish the triple crown in the 200m butterfly as South African legend Chad Le Clos claimed his 152nd World Cup gold medal at 1:50.42. Le Clos, age 32, swam a season best as he has continued to show why he is one of the best swimmers of all-time by virtue of his longevity, speed, and tenacity.

“My first win was in 2009 at the World Cups,” Le Clos said. “So every year since 2009, I've got a gold medal. So a lot of pressure tonight because I never won.

“I was (at the World Cup) in 2010. It's crazy. It's unbelievable, actually, because I'm just grateful for the career that I've had. I've been able to go so long. I think it's a lot of great champions out there. Swimming is in a great place, I think, going forward. So I'm very happy. I'm happy to see swimming progressing.”

“For me, I'm just grateful to get the handle of the wall first. I feel for Julian, obviously going for the three crowns. He was the best swimmer of the three. He won two out of three so all respect to him. I was gonna need to be faster at the walls if I wanted to compete but I think it ended up pretty good for me. I'm really happy.

Julian finished second at 1:51.68.

Australia’s Isaac Cooper had an impressive showing in the 50m backstroke final, winning gold at 22.61, the 18th fastest performance all-time.

“Oh man, the crowd's going, it's awesome,” Cooper said. “It's fully packed. It's always great to be able to hear the cheer when you're swimming, because it doesn't happen too often. I think it helps push you along a little bit. So I'm just grateful that everyone's here supporting.”

China’s Olympic champion Pan Zhanle won the 100m freestyle at 46.09 while Japan’s Kazushi Imafuku also won the 1500m freestyle at 14:36.32.

“I had planned to go at a fast pace, but since I didn't want to tire out in the second half and miss a good result, I included some relaxed swimming along the way to maintain my race,” Imafuku said. “My next goal is to achieve the Japanese national record of 14:25.”