Leon Marchand looked unbeatable until this Sunday at the Shanghai leg of the Short Course World Cup. After winning the 100m medley on Friday, the 200m medley on Saturday, and the 400m medley on Sunday, things took a surprising turn. In the men’s 200m breaststroke, Yong Joshua made it to the podium with a time of 2:01:67, while Marchand finished in fourth place at 2:02:99, marking an unexpected shift in his streak.

On the other hand, Regan Smith’s impressive streak continues as the 22-year-old swimmer clinched the spot in the 200-meter backstroke event with a time of 2:00:42, in her race performance showing steady improvement each time she competes on the pool deck. Meanwhile, Kate Douglass also made a splash by securing victory in the 200-meter medley event clocked at 2:04:09, adding to the thrill of an action-packed weekend filled with competition and thrilling outcomes.

So, what exactly happened in detail?

Leon Marchand, the 22-year-old French star, started his game by dominating the 400m medley on the final day in China, finishing in 4:00.03 and beating Italy’s Alberto Razzetti by 1.48 seconds. Marchand, who became a global sensation at the Paris Olympics after winning all four of his individual events, is now focused on getting back to his routine. “I don’t really expect a lot of results; I’m just trying to have fun and go back to my standards,” he said. His next stop is South Korea for the next leg of the World Cup.

Regan Smith:

While, in the women’s 200m backstroke final, Regan Smith aimed for Aussie Kaylee McKeown’s world record of 1:58.94 but finished just short in 2:00.42, claiming the gold medal with a personal best by nearly two seconds. This performance ranks her as the ninth-fastest performer in history and the third-fastest American, behind only Missy Franklin (2:00.03 in 2011) and Beata Nelson (2:00.27 in 2020). Belarusian Anastasiya Shkurdai, racing as an independent athlete, took silver with a time of 2:01.31, while Beata Nelson secured the bronze in 2:02.56.

Kate Douglass:

During the women’s 200-meter medley event final, Kate Douglass secured the gold medal for the United States with a lead of more than a second over her competitors. Despite her personal record standing at 2:02.12, making her the fastest athlete in history, she managed to clinch the victory. China’s finest athlete, Yiting Yu, won the silver medal with a time of 2:05.39 in the event. Rebecca Meder from South Africa clinched the bronze medal with a time of 2:07.42 at the event, where she also broke her national record set at the 2022 Short Course World Championships by shaving off 0.05 seconds. The race was truly exciting, with all the swimmers putting on a performance and showcasing their skills in the pool!

Apart from Leon Marchand, other swimmers also shined

Siobhan Haughey put on a show in the final of the women’s 100-meter freestyle event after participating in the 50-meter breaststroke competition. She secured the gold medal with a time of 51.89 seconds. That makes her now the only swimmer to finish the race in less than 52 seconds, which is a second slower than her personal best of 50.79 seconds set during the 2021 ISL season; nevertheless, it was an impressive achievement overall.

In the final of the women’s 50-meter breaststroke event, Tang Qianti from China showcased a performance by finishing in 28.76 seconds, making her the sole swimmer to go below the 29-second mark. This outstanding display not only secured her the gold medal but also saw her break both her own Chinese national record and the Asian record she set just last month. However, securing second place was Italy’s Benedetta Pilato with a time of 29.73, narrowly beating out Haughey, who finished third with a time of 29.74, setting a personal best and national record in the process.

In the men’s 100-meter backstroke, the final race featured a standout performance by 20-year-old Pieter Coetze from South Africa, who clinched the gold with a time of 49:35 seconds to outperform the LCM World Record holder and Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon, who settled for silver with a time of 50:03 seconds. Coetzes impressive timing not only secured him the gold medal but also set a new African continental record, surpassing his previous best of 49:60 from the 2022 Short Course World Championships. With this day 2, was full of excitement.