French star Léon Marchand has broken one world record already in the 200-meter individual medley.
He’ll try for a second on Sunday in the 400 IM on the closing day of the swimming world championships in Singapore, a record he set two years ago in the worlds in Fukuoka, Japan. That mark is 4 minutes, 02.50 seconds.
It would be Marchand’s second gold in Singapore, where he’s swimming a reduced schedule after winning four individual golds a year ago at the Paris Olympics.
He will swim from Lane 1, entering with a relatively slow qualifying time.
Summer McIntosh of Canada will be in the women’s 400 IM, trying for her fourth gold. Her hope of winning five individual golds in the worlds — only Michael Phelps has done that — was crushed Saturday night when she was beaten by American Katie Ledecky in the 800 free. McIntosh finished third.
Chinese 12-year-old Yu Zidi has the No. 3 qualifying time as she shoots for a medal. She picked up a bronze medal in a relay — she swam in a prelim but not the final — but an individual medal would be astounding.
As a reminder, she is the same age as most sixth- or seventh-grade students, depending on the school system.
The Americans, frustrated throughout the meet with a case of “acute gastroenteritis” picked up in a training camp in Thailand, surged on Saturday with three golds to bring their gold-medal leading total to eight. Australia has seven.
The Americans have several gold-medal chances in Sunday’s eight finals. Among them: world-record holder Bobby Finke in the 1,500 free, and the men’s and women’s 4×100 medley relays.
The Americans have the fastest qualifying times in both relays.
China, the Paris Olympic champions a year ago in the men’s 4×100 medley, failed to qualify. China finished ninth, out of the top eight in a time of 3:32.69 seconds. They swam 3:27.46 to win in Paris.
Qin Haiyang and Pan Zhanle — two world-record holders — were on the team that missed out. They were both on the Paris team.
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