FUKUOKA, Japan—French youngster Leon Marchand produced a dazzling performance to shatter American great Michael Phelps’ long-standing 400 meters individual medley record on the opening day of swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships on Sunday.
Phelps’s mark of 4:03.84 set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics was his last remaining individual world record but it fell to the 21-year-old Marchand who started superbly and clocked 4:02.50 to beat Carson Foster who took silver.
“That was insane, one of the most painful things I’ve done. It was amazing to do it here and the time is crazy,” Marchand, who is coached by Phelps’ former mentor Bob Bowman said….