FUKUOKA, Japan-- A handful of Sun Devils and pros showcased their talents this week at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan at the Marine Messe Fukuoka.
Recaps, results and other notes from each day were dropped into this story as the meet progresses.
Léon Marchand had an eventful week winning three gold medals and breaking the 400 IM world record and Hubert Kós won the 200m back championship. Pro Regan Smith has won five medals this week in the 200m back, 200m fly, 100m back, 50 back and in the 4x100 medley relay.
July 30, 2023
Marchand finished off competition at Worlds in the 4x100 medley relay as France finished fourth. He was named World Aquatics' Male Swimmer of the Meet.
Regan Smith capped off Worlds with a gold medal as a part of the 4x100 medley relay for Team USA. She swam backstroke and had a split of 57.68.
July 29, 2023
Day seven's finals started off with pro Ryan Held taking fifth in the 50m free with a time of 21.72.
Smith won her fourth medal of the week as she won the silver in the 200 back with a time of 2:04.94.
July 28, 2023
The day started off with Kharun qualifying for the 100m fly semis with a time of 51.33. In the 200 back, Smith qualified fo the semifinals swimming a 2:07.24. To finish off the morning, Ryan Held qualified for the semifinals of the 50m free with a time of 21.91.
Smith qualified for the 200m back finals with a time of 2:07.24.
Kos became the second Sun Devil to win a championship at Worlds as he won gold in the 200m back with a time of 1:54.14.
Marchand swam in the 4x200 freestyle relay with France with his team finishing fourth overall.
July 27, 2023
In the morning session, Kós qualified for the semifinals of the 200 back with a time of 1:57.27.
In the first final, Smith took the bronze medal in the 200 fly as she swam a 2:06.58 and Lindsay Looney swam a 2:07.70. Smith then went on to win the silver in the 50m back with a time of 27.11.
Marchand won his third gold of the week in the 200m IM with a time of 1:54.82, which sets a European record and is the third fastest of all-time. The medal today is his sixth overall as he also won three medals at Worlds last year in Budapest.
Kós qualified for the 200 back finals on Friday evening as he swam a 1:55.99.
July 26, 2023
The fourth day of Worlds began with pro Regan Smith qualifying for the semifinals in the 50m back with a time of 27.31. Smith, alongside current Sun Devil Lindsay Looney, also qualifed for the evening session's 200m butterfly semifinals. In the 200 IM, Marchand qualified for the semifinals. In the 4x100 mixed medley relay, alum Carter Swift was a part of the relay that set a New Zealand record with a time of 3:49.26.
The evening was eventful from the start as it began with Regan Smith setting an American record in the 50m back semifinals as she finished with a time of 27.10 and will swim in the finals of that event tomorrow evening along with the 200m butterfly.
Marchand, with a French record setting time of 1:52.43, won his second World championship of the week in the 200m butterfly. This is Marchand's second medal at Worlds in this event after getting silver in Budapest last summer.
Ilya Kharun was fourth in the 200 fly with a time of 1:53.82, which is a Canadian record.
With a time of 2:07.72, Lindsay Looney also qualified for the 200m butterfly tomorrow evening after setting the school record in that event at the NCAA Championships.
July 25, 2023
The morning session in Fukuoka showed Léon Marchand qualifying for the semifinals in the 200m butterfly with a time of 1:55.46 and incoming freshman Ilya Kharun also qualifying with a time of 1:55.93.
In the semifinals of the 200 fly, Marchand and Kharun both qualified for the finals of the 200 fly which will be on Wednesday evening in Fukuoka. Marchand was the silver medalist in this event at last year's champuonships in Budapest.
In the finals of the 100m backstroke, pro Regan Smith won the silver medal for Team USA with a time of 57.78. In the men's 100m backstroke, Hubert Kós finished seventh representing his home country Hungary with a time of 53.11, which is a Hungarian record.
July 24, 2023
Pro Regan Smith qualified for the semifinals of the 100m backstroke with a time of 58.47 and incoming sophomore Hubert Kos qualified for the men's 100m backstroke semifinals with a time of 53.12.
Kos qualified for the finals with a time of 53.17 and Smith, who won the world championship last year in this event, also qualified for the 100m backstroke finals with a time of 58.33.
July 23, 2023
Incoming freshman Ilya Kharun qualified for the semifinals of the 50m butterfly with a time of 23.27 in heats competition.
Pro Chase Kalisz qualified for the finals of the 400 IM with a time of 4:12.37 and Léon Marchand had a time of 4:10.88 in heats to qualify for the finals. In the finals on Sunday evening in Fukuoka, Marchand broke a world record that was set by Michael Phelps in 2002 with a time of 4:02.50.
In relays competition, pro Olivia Smoliga was a part of the group that won the silver medal in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay that finished with a 3:31.93. In the heats competition earlier that morning, Smoliga and her relay team qualified for finals with a time of 3:33.34.
Ryan Held, a pro, was a part of the 4x100 freestyle relay that won the bronze medal for Team USA with a time of 3:10.81. Held and his relay team finished with a finals qualifying time of 3:11.63 in heats competition.
Recaps, results and other notes from each day were dropped into this story as the meet progresses.
Léon Marchand had an eventful week winning three gold medals and breaking the 400 IM world record and Hubert Kós won the 200m back championship. Pro Regan Smith has won five medals this week in the 200m back, 200m fly, 100m back, 50 back and in the 4x100 medley relay.
July 30, 2023
Marchand finished off competition at Worlds in the 4x100 medley relay as France finished fourth. He was named World Aquatics' Male Swimmer of the Meet.
Regan Smith capped off Worlds with a gold medal as a part of the 4x100 medley relay for Team USA. She swam backstroke and had a split of 57.68.
WORLD CHAMP! Pro Regan Smith was a part of the 4x100 medley relay that took the ??!#ForksUp x #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/OUoVmfffgI
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) July 30, 2023
July 29, 2023
Day seven's finals started off with pro Ryan Held taking fifth in the 50m free with a time of 21.72.
Smith won her fourth medal of the week as she won the silver in the 200 back with a time of 2:04.94.
July 28, 2023
The day started off with Kharun qualifying for the 100m fly semis with a time of 51.33. In the 200 back, Smith qualified fo the semifinals swimming a 2:07.24. To finish off the morning, Ryan Held qualified for the semifinals of the 50m free with a time of 21.91.
Smith qualified for the 200m back finals with a time of 2:07.24.
Kos became the second Sun Devil to win a championship at Worlds as he won gold in the 200m back with a time of 1:54.14.
WORLD CHAMP!
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) July 28, 2023
Hubert Kós (Hungary) takes the ?? in the 200 back with a 1:54.14! ??#ForksUp x #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/8KekgxXo6W
Marchand swam in the 4x200 freestyle relay with France with his team finishing fourth overall.
July 27, 2023
In the morning session, Kós qualified for the semifinals of the 200 back with a time of 1:57.27.
In the first final, Smith took the bronze medal in the 200 fly as she swam a 2:06.58 and Lindsay Looney swam a 2:07.70. Smith then went on to win the silver in the 50m back with a time of 27.11.
Marchand won his third gold of the week in the 200m IM with a time of 1:54.82, which sets a European record and is the third fastest of all-time. The medal today is his sixth overall as he also won three medals at Worlds last year in Budapest.
Kós qualified for the 200 back finals on Friday evening as he swam a 1:55.99.
July 26, 2023
The fourth day of Worlds began with pro Regan Smith qualifying for the semifinals in the 50m back with a time of 27.31. Smith, alongside current Sun Devil Lindsay Looney, also qualifed for the evening session's 200m butterfly semifinals. In the 200 IM, Marchand qualified for the semifinals. In the 4x100 mixed medley relay, alum Carter Swift was a part of the relay that set a New Zealand record with a time of 3:49.26.
The evening was eventful from the start as it began with Regan Smith setting an American record in the 50m back semifinals as she finished with a time of 27.10 and will swim in the finals of that event tomorrow evening along with the 200m butterfly.
Marchand, with a French record setting time of 1:52.43, won his second World championship of the week in the 200m butterfly. This is Marchand's second medal at Worlds in this event after getting silver in Budapest last summer.
Ilya Kharun was fourth in the 200 fly with a time of 1:53.82, which is a Canadian record.
Incoming freshman Ilya Kharun took 4th with a time of 1:53.82 in the 200 fly! ??
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) July 26, 2023
The time is a Canadian record! ??#ForksUp x #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/VHt2Gc16BU
With a time of 2:07.72, Lindsay Looney also qualified for the 200m butterfly tomorrow evening after setting the school record in that event at the NCAA Championships.
July 25, 2023
The morning session in Fukuoka showed Léon Marchand qualifying for the semifinals in the 200m butterfly with a time of 1:55.46 and incoming freshman Ilya Kharun also qualifying with a time of 1:55.93.
In the semifinals of the 200 fly, Marchand and Kharun both qualified for the finals of the 200 fly which will be on Wednesday evening in Fukuoka. Marchand was the silver medalist in this event at last year's champuonships in Budapest.
In the finals of the 100m backstroke, pro Regan Smith won the silver medal for Team USA with a time of 57.78. In the men's 100m backstroke, Hubert Kós finished seventh representing his home country Hungary with a time of 53.11, which is a Hungarian record.
Congrats to pro Regan Smith on her medal in the 100 back! #ForksUp x #AQUAFukuoka23 https://t.co/0Uxlg3OsgG
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) July 25, 2023
July 24, 2023
Pro Regan Smith qualified for the semifinals of the 100m backstroke with a time of 58.47 and incoming sophomore Hubert Kos qualified for the men's 100m backstroke semifinals with a time of 53.12.
Kos qualified for the finals with a time of 53.17 and Smith, who won the world championship last year in this event, also qualified for the 100m backstroke finals with a time of 58.33.
With a time of 53.17, incoming sophomore Hubert Kós (Hungary) has qualified for the finals for 100m backstroke! ??#ForksUp x #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/kphUmfXpCl
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) July 24, 2023
July 23, 2023
Incoming freshman Ilya Kharun qualified for the semifinals of the 50m butterfly with a time of 23.27 in heats competition.
Pro Chase Kalisz qualified for the finals of the 400 IM with a time of 4:12.37 and Léon Marchand had a time of 4:10.88 in heats to qualify for the finals. In the finals on Sunday evening in Fukuoka, Marchand broke a world record that was set by Michael Phelps in 2002 with a time of 4:02.50.
LÉON MARCHAND. WORLD RECORD BREAKER. WORLD CHAMP.
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) July 23, 2023
With a time of 4:02.50, @leon_marchand is the 2023 World champ AND the new world record holder in the 400 IM ??#ForksUp x #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/0AvqBHWZxx
In relays competition, pro Olivia Smoliga was a part of the group that won the silver medal in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay that finished with a 3:31.93. In the heats competition earlier that morning, Smoliga and her relay team qualified for finals with a time of 3:33.34.
Ryan Held, a pro, was a part of the 4x100 freestyle relay that won the bronze medal for Team USA with a time of 3:10.81. Held and his relay team finished with a finals qualifying time of 3:11.63 in heats competition.