Can’t get enough of the 2024 Swimming World Cup? We don’t blame you! After an interesting battle in Shanghai, we are currently on the Incheon stop in the Republic of Korea. The competitions will take place between 24 and 26 October, and while day 1 created quite a buzz, we’re now on to day 2 of an equally exciting set of competitions. Léon Marchand snagged a shiny win for him yesterday, but did he keep up the momentum tonight as well?

Don’t forget about Regan Smith either! The American knocked everyone’s socks off on day one. But did she make quite a splash in the pool today? That’s what we’re here for! We had a packed lineup of events unfold at the Namdong Asiad Swimming Pool tonight, and the results might just be as shocking as ever. Couldn’t catch up with some thrilling swimming action? That’s alright. We’re giving you a rundown of all the moments!

Regan Smith stunned the crowds in Incheon, but the same can’t be said for Léon Marchand

After a thrilling display in Shanghai, all eyes were on France’s ‘Golden Boy.’ Having won 3 out of 4 events, he sat atop the leaderboard before heading to Korea. On day one, he faced off against Noe Ponti. Although he had defeated Ponti in the first stop, things took a surprising turn in Incheon. In the 100m medley, both swimmers tied with a remarkable time of 51.00 seconds—a true shocker. But today is a new day for the Frenchman, though it hasn’t started as well as he’d hoped.

Léon Marchand was set to contest in the 100m freestyle event, but what if we tell you he never made it to the finals? The Olympian clocked 47.46 in heat 4. Just 0.04-hundredths of a second stood between him and the final berth. However, Pieter Coetze, Pan Zhanle, Jack Dolan and Jamie Jack continued to the finals from the Shanghai stop. Is this the end of the 22-year-old’s dominance in the pool? 

So, with the prodigy out of the way, who emerged victorious in the 100m freestyle? After missing the podium in Shanghai, Jamie Jack touched the wall with a new personal best of 46.68. Along with a shiny gold, he also shaved off half a second from his previous career-quickest of 46.91 seconds from the 2024 Australian SC Championships.

Trailing behind him was Korean national record holder Hwang Sunwoo, who clocked 46.60 seconds. For the second time in the event at the World Cup, Coetze completed the podium with 46.74 seconds on the clock. Unfortunately, he was just off his personal best of 46.59 from the Shanghai Stop. But the Frenchman contested in the 200m individual medley today, and boy! He truly showed the world why he’s the reigning Olympic champion in the event.

Léon Marchand set out strong by clocking 1:54.17 in the prelims earlier today, but things looked grim for him after the opening 50. The 22-year-old was trailing behind Duncan Scott and Daiya Seto in third place. However, he pushed past the duo and touched the wall in a blistering 1:50.30, just a tad bit slower than his time in Shanghai. But the Frenchman is still the only swimmer to register under 1:51 in the event for now. 

Scott clinched a silver in Shanghai with 1:51.08. While he still had to settle in second place, it was with 1:51.25 on the clock. Seto’s World Cup debut was just as fruitful. He bagged the bronze with 1:52.36 on the clock. Not too bad for his first time, right? It’s now time for Regan Smith in the 100m backstroke finals. In Shanghai, the American clinched gold with a blistering time of 54.89 seconds. With a new World Cup record, she became the #2 performer in the women’s SCM back in history. The 22-year-old is also the second-ever American to go under the 55-second barrier.

Unsurprisingly, today wasn’t any different. Smith snagged a shiny gold by touching the wall in 54.41 seconds. However, that isn’t the only thing she bagged. The swimmer shaved off .15 from Kaylee McKeown’s mark of 54.56 set at the Australian Short Course Championships. With the first world record of the night, she has rightfully earned the title of the backstroke queen at the World Cup. Trailing behind her were Ingrid Wilm and Beata Nelson, who clocked 56.14 seconds and 56.41 seconds on the clock, completing the podium.

In the men’s 50m breaststroke, Qin Haiyang set a new Chinese national record with 25.38 in Shanghai. Even though he was slower today, the 25-year-old emerged victorious again by touching the wall at 25.76 seconds. Trailing behind him, Ilya Shymanovich snagged another second-place finish with 25.78 seconds on the clock. In fact, his 25.68 seconds in the prelims earlier today touted him as the #1 swimmer in the event. Finishing the podium was Choi Dongyeol, who clocked 26.05 seconds. With this, he shattered the previous national record of 26.37 by Moon Jae-kwon in 2021.

With two exciting days in Incheon so far, things don’t look as promising for Léon Marchand. But we still have one more day to go. The last set of finals will take place on Saturday, October 26. The men’s final events include 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 400m IM, and 800m freestyle. On the other hand, the women will contest in 50m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m backstroke and 200m IM. Will the 22-year-old turn things around? We will just have to wait and watch.