Shaine Casas Takes Down American Record, Leon Marchand in 200 IM at World Cup Stop in Carmel
While he has been a major player on the international stage for years, Shaine Casas took a major step forward during the summer, when he earned the silver medal in the 200-meter individual medley at the World Championships in Singapore. In the final, Casas delivered a career-best time of 1:54.30 to make him just one of four men in history to break the 1:55 barrier in the event.
On Saturday night, while racing at the World Cup stop in Carmel, Indiana, Casas continued to display his talent in the 200 IM. Behind a time of 1:49.43, Casas lowered his American record and registered a triumph over Frenchman Leon Marchand, the world-record holder. Casas’ previous American record stood at 1:49.51, while Marchand secured second place in 1:49.73.
When Casas earned silver at the World Championships, he finished behind Marchand, who set a world record in the semifinals and managed the second-fastest time in history in the final. At the World Cup, though, it was the American who shined brightest, as he put together a wire-to-wire victory and complemented his win in the 100 medley from the opening night of the meet.
Casas and Marchand are hardly strangers, as they both train under coach Bob Bowman with the pro group based at the University of Texas. Clearly, the American has benefited from the high-intensity training environment and is performing at his peak.
