Swimming World Cup 2024: Noe Ponti Makes History, Léon Marchand & Kate Douglass Reign Supreme Heading Into Incheon

Day 3 of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup has been nothing short of thrilling. The first leg of the competition took place in Shanghai, and it set the bar for what to expect from the next leg higher than ever. With impressive performances from Léon Marchand and Kate Douglass, one name was as prominent as ever: Noe Ponti. Having locked heads with the Frenchman twice now, the swimmer had to settle for second place not once but twice. However, that changed on October 20, when he returned to the pool for the 50m butterfly. The Swiss had already set a world record with his blistering 21.67 seconds earlier this morning.

Similarly, in the finals, he didn’t disappoint fans. Keeping the lead throughout the swim, Ponti touched the wall in 21.68 seconds. This has been the second-fastest time ever in the finals and just .01 seconds short of a new world record. He cleared the former world record of 21.75 seconds held by Nicholas Santos and Szebastian Szabo set in 2018 and 2021. But as they head to Incheon next, the swimmer currently sits in the #2 position with 56.8 points, trailing behind a triumphant Léon Marchand, who racked up 58.3 points after a successful first leg. How did the rest of your favorites do?