Another successful race. Frenchman Léon Marchand quietly qualified for the semi-finals of the 200m medley with the ninth time in the heats, Wednesday at the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka (Japan).
The 21-year-old swimmer, crowned world champion in the 400m medley on Sunday with a world record at stake, did not work too hard, ending his series in 1 min 58 sec 38. The best time went to the Briton Duncan Scott in 1 min 57 sec 76. “There is already a bit of fatigue. He has to manage himself so he stayed on the plan we had set: quite relaxed in the butterfly, then in backstroke he makes a little effort to stay in the race and then he controls breaststroke and crawl, “said declared his trainer Nicolas Castel.
Marchand is preparing for a busy evening as he will play his semi-final this Wednesday at 9:35 p.m. (2:35 p.m. Paris time), 42 minutes after the 200m butterfly final.
The other Frenchmen engaged in individual Wednesday have all qualified. Mary-Ambre Moluh and Analia Pigrée will compete in the 50m backstroke semi-finals, while Maxime Grousset has won his ticket for the 100m freestyle semi-finals. “I’m not going to lie to you, I was too scared,” smiled Moluh, who is playing his first Worlds at 17. “I really realize that the stress of an international competition has nothing to do with the stress we can have in France where we are sure to pass in the final, in the half. It’s really intense there.”
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