French Swimmer Leon Marchand Breaks Michael Phelps' Last Remaining Individual World Record

Natasha Dye

July 24, 2023 at 4:19 p.m.·2 min read

Phelps celebrated as the 21-year-old swimmer from France set a new record during Sunday's world championships in Japan

<p>PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty, Ian MacNicol/Getty</p> — PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty, Ian MacNicol/Getty

Olympian Michael Phelps was proud to pass on the torch to swimmer Leon Marchand during the world championships in Fukoka, Japan on Sunday.

Phelps, 38, was calling the race when Marchand, 21, broke the former swimmer's last individual world record in the men's 400-meter individual medley.

Marchand defeated American Carson Foster by four seconds, with a final time of 4 minutes and 2.50 seconds.

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The French swimmer's result broke the record set by Phelps in 2008's Beijing Games of four minutes and 3.84 seconds, the last of his individual world records.

<p>MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty</p> — MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty

Phelps was seen during the final moments of Marchand's race standing and applauding the swimmer. "I mean, he swam it so perfect," Phelps said during the broadcast.

INCREDIBLE!

Michael Phelps calls the race where his last individual world record gets broken by Leon Marchand, who also happens to be coached by Phelps’ former coach, Bob Bowman. #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/kCNcfMvKG5
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 23, 2023

After breaking the record, Marchand described the achievement as "one of the hardest things he's ever done" in an interview with Reuters.

“It was amazing to do it here, and the time is crazy," he added before telling the outlet that "the best is yet to come.”

<p>Ian MacNicol/Getty</p> — Ian MacNicol/Getty

According to ESPN, Marchand has his eyes on next year's Paris Olympics as he gets ready for another semester swimming at Arizona State.

Speaking to the outlet, Marchand said, "I think I can handle the pressure pretty well right now. It's not perfect and I can get better and I have one year to improve."

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