NANTERRE, France — French swimmer Léon Marchand etched his name in Olympic history on Wednesday night at the Paris 2024 Olympics by clinching an extraordinary double victory in the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter breaststroke, both within a span of two hours.
Marchand, 22 years old, captivated the home crowd at La Defense Arena with his stellar performances, setting Olympic records in both events and earning himself two gold medals in one memorable evening.
In the 200m butterfly final, Marchand staged a dramatic comeback on the last lap, overtaking Hungary’s Kristóf Milák, the world-record holder and defending Olympic champion. Marchand touched first with a time of 1:51.71, narrowly edging out Milák by four-hundredths of a second.
Following this thrilling victory, Marchand swiftly refocused for the 200m breaststroke, where he led from start to finish. He clocked in at 2:05.85, setting another Olympic record and securing his second gold medal of the night.
The French crowd, numbering over 15,000, erupted in cheers and chants of “Léon! Léon! Léon!” as Marchand celebrated his historic achievements.
“I’m a really shy person,” Marchand humbly stated afterward. “I was trying to get the energy from the whole crowd. They’re amazing to me, pushing me in every final.”
Marchand’s coach, Bob Bowman, also known for coaching Michael Phelps, expressed immense pride in his athlete’s performance, calling it a “tremendous, historic effort.”
In the midst of Marchand’s triumphs, other notable performances unfolded at the Paris Aquatics Center. American swimming icon Katie Ledecky added to her legacy with a dominant victory in the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle, capturing her seventh individual Olympic gold medal.
The evening also saw China’s Pan Zhanle setting the first world record of the Paris Games in the men’s 100-meter freestyle, clocking an impressive 46.40 seconds.
As the Paris 2024 Olympics continue, Marchand’s double gold medal feat will stand out as one of the defining moments, showcasing his exceptional talent and resilience on the global stage of swimming.
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