The French Olympic champion Leon Marchand trains in the U.S. He wowed Paris with gold medals in swimming

In a night where American swimmers made headlines for their efforts in addition to the U.S. medal count, it was French swimmer Leon Marchand who stole the show in Paris winning his first gold medal.

Jul 28, 2024 07:25 PM

 

Leon Marchand, of France is celebrating after winning the first medal of gold at the 400-meter individual medley for men final of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics on Sunday in Nanterre, France. Matthias Schrader/AP cover caption

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Matthias Schrader/AP

NANTERRE, France — Just moments after his nation’s citizens sang a loud rendition of the French national anthem at La Defense arena outside Paris, Leon Marchand broke away from the elite group of athletes in the men’s 400-meter individual Medley final.

“It was a great experience that I had,” Marchand said after the race in which the 22-year-old won his first Olympic gold medal. “I was enjoying the moment.”

Marchand who was a member of Arizona State University and now lives in Austin, Texas, dominated the event that combined breast, back, freestyle as well as butterfly strokes.

There were times when Marchand appeared to have been so long ahead that he appeared to be in an entirely different pool.

In a sport where wins are rarely a snap He smashed the wall a full five second ahead of Japanese’s Tomoyuki Matsushita, who took silver.

The time of 4:02:95 was enough to set the new Olympic record, breaking the record established by Michael Phelps in 2008 at the Beijing Games.

“I felt goose bumps when I stood at that podium,”” Marchand said. “I felt very happy to be me and also to have the privilege of being French.”

The symbol for Frenchness who played with Arizona State University

Marchand and his youthful look, has established himself as a symbol of national pride for this Paris Olympics. After his win on Sunday at night French the president Emmanuel Macron came to greet him and offer his congratulations.

Bob Bowman coached Marchand at ASU before he went pro in the spring of this year and assisted in preparing for the Olympics.

“That was a fantastic swimming,” he said, saying that Marchand as one of the top swimmers ever to compete in this event. “He is able to swim faster than this. He’s has the speed, and He’s got that endurance.”

American athlete Carson Foster also turned in an impressive performance in the final of the medley to claim an unexpected bronze medal.

“I haven’t had great races in the big races and tonight was great,” Foster said.

Medalist in gold Leon Marchand, center, from France is seen with the silver medalist Tomoyuki Matsushita, left, from Japan along with bronze-medallist Carson Foster, of the United States, following Sunday’s men’s individual medley final in the 400 meters. Matthias Schrader/AP conceal caption

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Matthias Schrader/AP

However, he was equally overwhelmed by the show as well as by the cheering French crowd.

“It was quite amazing,” Foster said of the atmosphere at the arena. “It was unique for Leon to have the opportunity to perform it in his own country. I’ll be able tell my children about it one day.”

Another medal for the U.S. swimmers

In a come-from-behind win in the history of U.S. swimmers, Nic Fink sprinted to a tie with the legendary Briton Adam Peaty for a silver medal in the 100-meter men’s breaststroke final.

Peaty was heavily expected to win in the race.

Gold medalist Nicolo Martinenghi, middle from Italy is seen alongside silver medalists Nic Fink, right from USA, and Adam Peaty of the United States, and Adam Peaty from Britain on the podium following the final of the 100-meter breaststroke for men on Sunday in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Bernat Armangue/AP hide caption

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Bernat Armangue/AP

“There weren’t a lot of thoughts going through my mind,” Fink said of his astonished medal-winning performance. “It was just a little bit of go-go-go. I knew it would be extremely close, and everyone was just a fingernail away.”

Fink and Peaty placed only a fraction ahead of Italian Nicolo Martinenghi, who claimed the gold medal. It was the first time for his country at the Games.

Reporting to NPR’s Becky Sullivan in Nanterre, France.