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MARCHand Madness as Léon Marchand breaks NCAA record with 4:06.18 500 free

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2024 PAC-12 MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

Men’s 500m freestyle – Finals

  • NCAA record: 4:06.32 – Kieran SmithFlorida (2020)
  • Pac-12 record: 4:07.81 – Leon MarchandArizona State (2023)
  • Pac-12 championship record: 4:09.49, Trenton JulienCalifornia (2021)
  • NCAA “A” Cup: 4:10.74

HIGH 8:

  1. Leon Marchand (ASU) – 4:06.18 (NCAA RECORDING)
  2. Zalan Sarkany (ASU) – 4:09.19
  3. Rex Maurer (STAN) – 4:12.58
  4. Daniel Matheson (ASU) – 4:14.81
  5. Julian Hill (ASU) – 4:15.26
  6. Tyler Kopp (CAL) – 4:15.31
  7. Henry McFadden (STAN) – 4:18.35
  8. Preston Forst (STAN) – 4:20.93

Leon Marchand broke the NCAA record in the men’s 500 freestyle in his first individual event of the Pac-12 Championships as Marchand touched in 4:06.18. This broke the previous record of 4:06.32 set by Florida. Kieran Smith set for the 2020 and 2021 SECs.

MERCHANT, 2024 PAC-12 SMITH, 2020 SECS
50 22.04 10:45 p.m. 22.04
100 46.32 (24.28) 47.28 (24.83) 46.31 (24.27)
150 1:10.83 (24.51) 1:12.07 (24.79) 1:10.81 (24.50)
200 1:35.85 (25.02) 1:37.08 (25.01) 1:35.70 (24.89)
250 2:01.08 (25.23) 2:02.25 (25.17) 2:00.86 (25.16)
300 2:25.81 (24.73) 2:27.35 (25.10) 2:26.23 (25.37)
350 2:50.62 (24.81) 2:52.40 (25.05) 2:51.53 (25:30)
400 3:15.66 (25.04) 15:17.25 (24.85) 3:16.90 (25.37)
450 3:41.42 (25.76) 3:42.19 (24.94) 3:42.06 (25.16)
500 4:06.18 (24.76) 4:06.32 (24.13) 4:06.32 (24.26)

Marchand’s splits looked more like Smith’s 2021 SEC swim than Smith’s 2020 swim, they were almost the same in hundredths up to the 150 mark.

This is Marchand’s fourth NCAA record. Marchand has already held the 200 breaststroke, the 200 IM and the 400 IM, all of which he swam at the 2023 NCAAs. Marchand notably chose to swim the 500 freestyle rather than the 200 IM today. With what appears to be the team title in hand for Arizona State, it appears Marchand is aiming for records in the “secondary” events. This was Marchand’s third competition in the 500m freestyle. Today was a personal best by over a second and a half, his previous best being 4:07.81.