"Following a further video review of Thursday night's race, Leon's disqualification has been overturned," organizers said.
At first, they estimated that he had been the author of a turn violation, at 350 meters, when he finished in freestyle (crawl) and had already won a race.
As a result of this rebound, which is not an April Fool's joke, the 19-year-old Toulousain, who swims at the University of Arizona with Bob Bowman, the mentor of Michael Phelps, will be able to participate in the Budapest Worlds (June 18 -July 3) and at the European Championships in Rome (August 11-21).
His time of 4 min 10 sec 38/100th, the best achieved to date in 2022, proving to be well below the minima (4.17.48) for these two competitions.
Passed close to his French record (4:09.65) achieved at the National Championships last year, he thus well and truly beat the American Jay Litherland (2nd), who arrived more than nine seconds later, and the Argentinian Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero, was ranked 3rd, more than 11 seconds behind.
Other opportunities await the one who has just won the 200 yard medley (182 m) at the American University Championships (NCAA).
If a false start prevented him from swimming in the 200m butterfly series on Friday morning, he then won the 200m breaststroke (2:11.71) in which he will compete in the final in the evening.
Saturday he will end his weekend with the 200 m medley.
© 2022 AFP