Olympian Leon Marchand, a Frenchman, practices in America. With his swimming gold, he delighted Paris.

Olympian Leon Marchand, a Frenchman, practices in America. With his swimming gold, he delighted Paris.

France’s Nanterre Just after tens of thousands of his fellow countrymen in the French national song were belted out at the La Defense venue outside of Paris, Leon Marchand broke free from a group of top swimmers in the 400-meter individual medley final.

Marchand, 22, who won his first Olympic gold in the event, said of the experience, “It was an amazing time for me.” “I was really living it in the moment.”

Marchand, an Austin, Texas resident who competed for Arizona State University, dominated the event, which includes freestyle, back, breast, and butterfly strokes.

Throughout the race, Marchand appeared to be swimming in a another pool at points because he was so far ahead.

He touched the wall more than five seconds ahead of Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita, who earned silver in a sport where championships are sometimes decided by the thinnest of margins.

The time of 4:02:95 was fast enough to break Michael Phelps’ 2008 Beijing Games record and establish a new Olympic record.

Marchand remarked, “On the podium, I got goosebumps.” “I felt really proud to be myself and to be French.”

A representation of Frenchness who was an Arizona State University competitor

Marchand has become a national hero of these Paris Olympics because to his youthful good features. French President Emmanuel Macron phoned to congratulate him following his victory on Sunday night.

Before becoming pro this spring, Marchand was coached by Bob Bowman at ASU, who also assisted in getting him ready for the Olympics.

“That was an amazing swim,” he declared, calling Marchand the greatest participant in this competition ever. “He is a quicker swimmer than that. He possesses both speed and endurance.”

In the medley final, Carson Foster, an American swimmer, also surprised everyone by winning the bronze medal.

“I haven’t had good races in big moments, so tonight just felt good,” Foster stated.

For the American swimmers, one additional silver

In the men’s 100-meter breaststroke final, Nic Fink stormed to a tie with the venerable British Olympian Adam Peaty for the silver medal, causing yet another upset for the American swimmers.

Regarding his unexpected medal achievement, Fink remarked, “I wasn’t thinking too much.” It was all really go-go-go. I anticipated that it would be quite close, with everyone being within a hair’s breadth.”

A mere nanosecond separated Fink and Peaty from Italian Nicolo Martinenghi, who claimed the gold medal—his nation’s first at these Games.

From Nanterre, France, with reporting by Becky Sullivan of NPR.

France, vive la France! Leon Marchand wins a gold medal in the 400 IM, fulfilling the dreams of his country.

For one night, at least, Marchand lived up to those enormous expectations, and Phelps, an NBC broadcast team member, was present in the building to see it all.

Marchand arrived at the interview location a little late. It turns out that Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, had called and he had to answer it.

Through a translator, Marchand remarked, “He said that he watched the race with all of his family and they all screamed when I won.”

A bronze medal for the controversial Chinese swimmer

A lot of people will be curious to learn that Zhang Yufei, a swimmer from China, tested positive for a prohibited chemical prior to the Tokyo Olympics, yet she was still permitted to participate and take home the bronze in 56.21. Zhang has maintained her clean racing status.

Italian Martinenghi defeats record-holder Peaty in the men’s 100 breaststroke.

Adam Peaty’s dominance run in the men’s 100 breaststroke came to an end in that race.

After winning gold in both Rio and Tokyo, Peaty took a protracted leave of absence to address mental health concerns. After his return, he got back up to speed and qualified as the top qualifier going into the final.

However, the British star fell just short of winning three gold medals in a row. Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy won in lane seven with a touch time of 59.03. Peaty and American Nic Fink shared the silver medal, finishing only two hundredths of a second behind the champion in 59.05.

I’m not depressed at all, Peaty declared. Anyone who has played sports, in my opinion, has always put themselves in danger. In other words, a loss does not exist.

Day 2 Finals at the Paris Olympics: Leon Marchand dazzles the crowd with a 4:02.95 show for the 400 IM Gold

On Sunday night, the lineup outside the Paris La Defense Arena stretched for about 500 meters. Online, tickets for this week’s finals sessions are selling for as much as €400. Thirty minutes before the finals session started, the audience broke into a rendition of La Marseillaise, but other than that, the shouts of “LE-ON” started.

On Sunday night, it was more of a party than a swim meet.

Appropriate, as the honoree was more of a coronation than a race.

Leon Marchand won his first career gold medal in 4:02.95, exceeding the expectations of the jubilant home crowd by breaking the world record by less than 0.5 seconds. He swam away from the field long ago, breaking Michael Phelps’ Olympic record by over a second, and the only issue now was whether his own world record would stand.

World Record: 4:02.50 set by Leon Marchand, France (2023)

Olympic Record: 4:03.84 set by American Michael Phelps (2016)

Chase Kalisz, USA, won the Tokyo Olympics in 4:09.42.

Since 2012, when Florent Manaudou won the 50 freestyle, Yannick Angel won the 200 free, and the French won the 400 free relay, this is the first gold medal for a male swimmer from France. In the history of the French program, it is just the ninth gold medal.

Marchand remarked, “On the podium, I had goosebumps.” Tonight, I was really happy to be French and authentic. I was truly living in the present at this wonderful point in my life.

In 4:08.62, Tomoyuki Matsushita of Japan won silver, just.04 ahead of Carson Foster, who won bronze for his first Olympic medal.

The atmosphere in the La Defense Arena was advantageous to all of the medalists. It may not have affected them as much as Marchand, but it has left a lasting effect on them.

As Foster put it, “It was pretty wild.” It had a stadium-like sound to it. It’s quite amazing. Leon is really fortunate to be able to do it in his native nation. And perhaps one day I’ll be able to tell my kids about that. I swam by Leon in his native nation.

Still, everything seems to come back to that one name. Marchand’s night will live on in our memories forever on Sunday. Marchand accomplished incredible feats, like as breaking a world record, earning a gold medal in front of his home crowd, and pushing the 400 IM leaders to ever-faster speeds. Setting such a high bar and then accomplishing it is made even more impressive by the fact that it was his aim for such a long time, that it appeared to be his destiny to reach this place, and that he had to endure all the accolades to get there.

Regarding his last conversations with Bowman ahead of winning an Olympic gold, Marchand remarked, “I don’t think we had to talk a lot today.” “We were both prepared to take the necessary action. I believe that individuals were only attempting to advise me to be content and unwind. I have a great opportunity to watch the Olympics from home, be in decent shape, and simply enjoy myself.

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