Leon Marchand won his fourth Olympic swimming gold, setting off a party across Paris
Nanterre, France: The party for Leon Marchand extends beyond the pool, quickly spreading across Paris.
At the Stade de France, hosting the first night of track and field, Marchand received a standing ovation as she won her fourth Olympic gold medal. The thunder was so loud that the first heat of the 400m race in the decathlon was delayed.
At the French Olympic home, around 20,000 gathered outside to watch Marchand's impressive run in the pool, including 19-year-old Arthur Orsel.
“He's a hero,” Orsel said. “He's our hero.”
With French President Emmanuel Macron cheering him on amid more than 15,000 fans in a natatorium turned rugby stadium, Marchand won another race in the 200m individual medley on Friday night.
“I don't think anything went wrong this week,” Marchand said. “It was just perfect.”
The 22-year-old French phenomenon left no doubt that he will be remembered as one of the biggest stars of the Summer Games in his country. He clocked an Olympic record time of 1 minute 54.06 seconds, just missing Ryan Lochte's 13-year-old world mark.
The only thing he didn't accomplish in six magical days at La Defense Arena was winning the 400 IM, 200 butterfly and 200 backstroke earlier — the last two in the same session about two hours apart.
Marchand became the fourth swimmer in Olympic history to win four individual golds in a single event.
others? Michael Phelps, who did it in both 2004 and 2008; Mark Spitz in 1972; and East German Christine Otto in 1988.
Head company, actually.
“That's crazy. Those guys are legends,” Marchand said. “I don't think I understand it yet. Maybe I'll be there in a few days.”
Silver was won by Britain's Duncan Scott in 1:55.31. China's Wang Shun won bronze in 1:56.00, edging out American Carson Foster for a spot on the podium.
What a night for France
A packed house at La Defense Arena once again came to cheer on their favorite son. They chanted, sang “Sweet Caroline,” hoisted the French tricolor flag and unveiled a large tifo on the upper deck.
As Marchand touched the wall, he held up four fingers—one for each gold. He climbed out of the pool, pumped his fist, and held out his hand, saying, “What more do you need?”
Not the point.
He did it all, despite his nation's expectations and comparisons with Phelps, who was here to cheer on Marchand. What can be a burden for some athletes only seems to push Marchand to greater heights.
Macron shook Marchand's hand at Friday's celebration and sent congratulations via social media.
“Impossible is not French!” Macron wrote in French. “To bring home four gold medals and a new Olympic record – it's historic. This is Leon Marchand.”
Marchand certainly enjoyed his moment, which his American coach Bob Bowman – Phelps' coach, in a fitting touch – encouraged him to do.
He led the fans in a cheer before climbing up the steps behind the podium once. The crowd erupted into its most rousing rendition of “La Marseillaise” yet — although, of course, they've had plenty of opportunities to work their way into the French national anthem this week.
“Leon! Leon! Leon!” As soon as the anthem was played, the field was filled. Someone put up a sign saying “Mercy Leone”.
“I am very proud,” said Marchand, “to be French.”
Australian gold for McEvoy, McKeown
Before Marchand's victory, Cameron McVay and Kaylee McCann won additional gold for Australia.
McEvoy took first in the 50 freestyle, denying Caleb Dressel a repeat in swimming's most frantic event. McKeown became the first female swimmer to sweep the back in two consecutive Summer Games with a win in the 200 backstroke.
Asked if she could have envisioned such a feat, McCown said, “Not in a million years.”
McEvoy became the first Australian to win gold at these Games, and McKeown soon took his country's total to an Olympic-leading seven golds – three more than both the United States and Marchand, who is essentially his own country.
McKeown noted what an amazing time it is for women's sports, following in the footsteps of athletes like Simone Biles and Caitlin Clarke in raising the profile of female athletes.
“Not just the Aussie girls, but the whole world and the women's game has been unreal this year,” said McKeown. “It's great to be a part of it.”
McEvoy made it from one end of the pool to the other in 21.25, beating Benjamin Proud of Britain by five-hundredths of a second. France's Florent Manaudo won bronze in 21.56 seconds and provided another thrill to the home audience.
Dressel, who won five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, finished sixth in 21.61 seconds.
McKeown again rallied, as she did in the 100 backstroke, to chase down perennial American runner-up Reagan Smith. The winning time was an Olympic record of 2:03.73, breaking the mark set by Missy Franklin at the 2012 London Games.
Another silver for Regan Smith
Smith won solo bronze in 2:04.26 for her fifth career silver medal. He is yet to win gold.
Canada's Kylie Masse took bronze in 2:05.57.
Smith insisted she was satisfied with the result, even though a gold medal remained out of reach.
“If I had won the silver medal and I was second slow, I think I would have been really disappointed in myself because it didn't put my best leg forward. That's not what I'm capable of doing,” Smith said. “That's one of my fastest times. be one I think I gave Kelly a run for it and I made things really close and exciting. So I'm excited about it.”
The dresser comes up short
The American star has qualified in two individual events, and she won't medal in either of them.
Shortly after a sixth-place showing in the 50 freestyle, he returned to the pool for the semifinals of the 100 butterfly—another event he won in Tokyo.
Dressel couldn't pull off the dreaded double, managing just the 13th-fastest time to miss the final Saturday night.
He led the U.S. to gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay for his eighth career gold medal.
It was a disappointing performance for one of Tokyo sport's biggest stars, but not unexpected given what he has been through.
A year after the pandemic-delayed 2021 Olympics, Dressel walked away from swimming in the middle of the world championships.
He needs a break to rekindle his love of swimming, which is still a bit of a work in progress. Dressel seems happier now, having welcomed his first child about five months ago, but he hasn't quite regained the momentum he had three years ago.
“Obviously not my best work,” Dressel said. “I've had a lot of fun but it hasn't been my best week. I don't think I should get away with it.”
He has one more relay to go to Paris, giving him another shot at his ninth career gold.
Dressel wants to go out on a high note, as these games have been “a little heartbreaking, definitely a little heartbreaking.”
After leaving the pool deck, he broke down in tears.
