Leon Marchand finished strongly to win the men’s 400m medley at the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming WC in Incheon on Saturday (October 26).

The four-time Olympic champion went out conservatively but held on Seto Daiya in his sights. And it wasn’t until the last three lengths of the 25m pool that Marchand, wearing his teammate Guillaume Guths swimming cap, moved next to and then in front of its Japanese rival. The Paris 2024 hero beat the world record holder by more than a second with his the winning time of 3:58.30 a new French record.

Marchand, whose win returned him to the top of the 2024 World Cup rankings after winning the overall title for last weekend’s stop in Shanghai, told reporters afterwards, including Olympics.com, that he was still some way off his best following his summer performances in the longer Olympic pool of 50 m.

“I took a long time off, a month and a half,” he said afterwards, “I started training again three or four weeks ago so I’m not really fit, but I feel good in the water.”

On the race itself, he commented: “It was good. I think it was a good pace compared to last week. I started a bit slower in the pace. I think my backstroke was really good, I held a lot. And then I tried to push the breaststroke and then run Daiya at the end. It’s a good time, I’m really happy with it.

To prepare for December’s 25m world championships in Budapest, the 22-year-old said he would go home to Toulouse to work with his old coach Nicolas Castel before a bid for gold in the 200m freestyle.

Asked about his plans to swim freestyle in the future, he said: “I think the short course will maybe do some relays. Maybe the 200 free in Budapest as well.

“I’ve been focusing on IM, fly, back and breast, not really freestyle. Just need to repeat some freestyle, improve my technique as well to be able to hold more water.”

After winning the 50m butterfly on Saturday, Switzerland Noah Ponti beat Marchand to the men’s overall crown at the Incheon meet.

The swim of the night came from the People’s Republic of China Olympic champion in the 100m freestyle Mr. Zhanle. The 20-year-old showed her versatility by taking the 800m freestyle title in a new World Cup record of 7:35.30.