- Leon Marchand is emerging as a highlight of the Paris Olympics
- The French swimmer has secured all three gold medals for his nation in the pool
Leon Marchand achieved the extraordinary on Wednesday night, securing two gold medals, culminating in a remarkable win in the 200m Breaststroke that complemented his earlier victory in the 200m Butterfly.
As a home favorite, he was met with resounding cheers from the audience, and he certainly rose to the occasion on Wednesday evening.
Despite advice against attempting both events, Marchand successfully reached the finals of the 200m Breaststroke and 200m Butterfly, which occurred in the same session.
Marchand began this incredible achievement with an unforgettable finishing push.
He lagged behind initially but surged ahead of defending Olympic champion and world-record holder Kristof Milak to secure his second gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly on Wednesday night.
Leon Marchand created history with two individual Olympic gold medals in the pool in the same session
Marchand stunned with a 200m Butterfly gold in what was considered his less likely chance at a win
He then added his second gold – and Olympic record – with the 200m Breaststroke around two hours later
The crowd at La Defense Arena erupted as Marchand finished with an Olympic record of 1min 51.71s, beating Milak by a mere four-hundredths of a second.
He transformed what was seen as borderline arrogance into one of the greatest achievements in Olympic history, delivering an astounding performance in the Breaststroke.
The Frenchman took the lead from the start and dominated his competitors, accomplishing a feat that not even Michael Phelps could replicate.
Not only did he achieve two golds against the odds, but he also broke Olympic records in both events, finishing the Breaststroke in 2min 5.85s.
All three of France’s golds in the pool have been clinched by Marchand, marking him as one of the standout stories of Paris 2024.
‘Greatness,’ remarked former 50m Freestyle swimmer Mark Foster on BBC. ‘Two Olympic golds in one night. Greatness.’
The magnitude of this accomplishment lies not only in the timing of the wins, within two hours of each other, but also in the fact that they involved two distinct strokes technically.
While the butterfly is one of the faster strokes, the breaststroke is the slowest, with both requiring fundamentally different techniques in terms of feet, arms, and critical breathing techniques.
