Marchand breaks Lochte’s 200m medley record

SINGAPORE — Léon Marchand broke the world record in the 200-meter individual medley on Wednesday at the world championships in Singapore, clocking 1 minute 52.61 seconds to surpass the 1:54.00 set in 2011 by American Ryan Lochte.

He set the mark swimming in the semifinals and, in theory, could break it again in Thursday’s finals.

Marchand won four Olympic gold medals a year ago in Paris, but he’s swimming only the 200 and 400 medley — and relays — in Singapore. Planning the lighter schedule in what he calls a “transition year” keeps him fresh to chase the world marks.

Marchand will swim the 400 IM on Sunday, the final day of the world championships. He holds that record of 4:02.50 set in the 2023 worlds in Fukuoka, Japan.