FOUR-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand has decided to drop two of his usual events at the upcoming world championships in Singapore. The French swimmer will only compete in the 200 and 400 metres individual medley, skipping the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke.
His coach, Nicolas Castel, confirmed the decision, stating it was a strategic choice for the post-Olympic season. “He won’t be doing the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke,“ Castel told Franceinfo. The move allows Marchand to focus solely on the medley events without the fatigue of back-to-back races.
Marchand, 23, had a stellar performance at the Paris Games, securing gold in the 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 200 IM, and 400 IM, along with a bronze in the 4x100m medley relay. Castel explained, “He wanted to test this isolated 200m medley and see what he was capable of.”
The swimming segment of the world championships will run from July 27 to August 3 in Singapore. – Reuters
