French swimmer Léon Marchand made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning his second and third gold medals on Wednesday, July 31 2024 night, solidifying his status as the breakout star of the Games.
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The 22-year-old from Toulouse first triumphed in the 200m butterfly, setting a new Olympic record and narrowly defeating Hungary’s Kristof Malik, the defending champion and world record holder.
Just two hours later, Marchand secured another gold in the 200m breaststroke, once again setting an Olympic record and becoming the first swimmer to win gold medals in both butterfly and breaststroke at the same Olympics.
Marchand’s victories have energized France, which saw its medals tally rise from fourth to second place behind China.
His achievements come amid a backdrop of controversies and challenges for the host nation, including issues with the opening ceremony and triathlon events.
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| Credit: AP
Marchand’s success has been celebrated throughout Paris, with a large photograph of him displayed on the Tour Montparnasse skyscraper.
The French swimmer, born into a family of Olympians, has given his country a reason to celebrate and has helped boost France’s standings in the medal table.
As Marchand beamed during his second medal ceremony and joined the crowd in singing “La Marseillaise,” he reflected on the support from the home crowd. “I could hear the whole pool just going crazy and I think that’s why I was able to win the race,” he said.
Marchand, who won his first gold in the 400m individual medley on Sunday, July 28 2024, has become a symbol of French sporting success, challenging the long-standing dominance of American and Australian swimmers.
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