Leon Marchand Blasts 1:53.08 Effort in 200 Butterfly at Fort Lauderdale Open
The premier male swimmer in the world used the Fort Lauderdale Open to make a statement on Thursday night, as France’s Leon Marchand unloaded a stellar performance in the 200-meter butterfly. The reigning Olympic champion in the event, Marchand stopped the clock in 1:53.08, the top time in the world for 2026 by more than a second, and a suggestion of major fireworks to come this summer.
Historically, only 11 men have been faster than what Marchand produced at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, and the Frenchman delivered the time in a midseason competition. Marchand split 25.01 for his opening 50 meters and turned at the midway point of the race in 53.63. He split 29.20 for his third lap and came home in a split of 30.25. He was followed to the wall by Carson Foster (1:55.09), one of his training partners at the University of Texas.
At the 2024 Olympic Games, Marchand captured gold in the 200 butterfly when he defeated Hungary’s Kristof Milak, the world-record holder and 2020 Olympic champ. At the Paris Games, Marchand became the No. 2 performer in history when he was timed in 1:51.21. Based on his showing in South Florida, Marchand seems positioned to challenge that best time at this summer’s European Championships in Paris. The world record in the 200 fly belongs to Milak at 1:50.34, posted at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest.
Marchand’s Thursday night time was the fourth-fastest of his career, trailing his Olympic outing, a 1:52.43 from the 2023 World Champs and a 1:52.57 from the U.S. Open in December. Marchand is expected to race three other events in Fort Lauderdale – the 200 breaststroke, 200 individual medley and 400 medley.
The second-fastest time in the world for 2026 belongs to Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita at 1:54.28.
