Leon Marchand performed one of the most daring doubles in swimming history at the Paris Olympics.
Nanterre, France: Turns out, the Michael Phelps comparison wasn't far-fetched for Leon Marchand.
They certainly weren't too much of a burden for the 22-year-old Frenchman.
Marchand pulled off one of the most audacious double feats in swimming history on Wednesday night, winning the 200-meter butterfly and 200 breaststroke in nearly two hours in front of a home crowd that cheered her every move.
Two grueling races, two very different strokes, two Olympic records, two gold medals.
Consider Phelps, who did several doubles of his own at the 2008 Beijing Olympics while winning a record eight golds.
“I'm a really shy person,” Marchand said. I was kind of the center of attention in those two matches. I was trying to get energy from the whole crowd. “They are amazing to me and push me in every final.”
Marchand, who delighted the French fans and was even in the spotlight on a night when Cathy Ledecky won another gold medal, won her second and third at the La Defense Arena and secured herself – with the Olympics not even a week away. He had not passed away either – as one of the figures showed. of games
Marchand made it easy in the 200 breast after beating the world record holder and defending Olympic champion in the 200 fly by one last stroke for several years.
He led all the way and touched down in 2 minutes, 5.85 seconds as more than 15,000 fans — many holding cardboard cutouts of his smiling face — nearly blew the roof off Lady Defense Arena.
“Leon! Leon! Leon!” they shouted, a chant that was sure to carry through the night in Paris.
Marchand messes things up
Marchand, who went most of the way in the 200 fly, passed Hungary's Milak in the final lap to finish in an Olympic-record 1:51.71, touching first by just four-hundredths of a second.
Marchand's final lap was almost 0.66 faster than anyone else in the field – and 1.26 ahead of Millack.
“I've watched a lot of matches from him,” Marchand said. I know he has a lot of speed, a lot more than me, so I was just trying to get as close as possible and then push it to the end.
Bronze went to Ilya Kharon from Canada.
After her dominant victory in the 400 individual medley on Sunday, Marchand wagged one finger and shook her head slightly, as if she couldn't quite believe what she had done.
Then, he left the deck and gave another rousing cheer to begin his warm-up, though these preparations were interrupted by a forced return for the victory ceremony.
After a raucous rendition of “La Marseillaise,” the other two medalists strolled around the pool and posed for their photos.
No, Marchand. He quickly returned to the training pool. Another match was coming.
Ledeki gold record
The American star made the most of her guest appearance on The Marchand Show by winning her seventh individual Olympic gold — she also has a relay gold — and 12th overall with a runaway victory in the 1,500 freestyle.
Ledecky, 27, tied American counterparts Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson for the most medals won by a female swimmer. Ledecky already had the most individual gold medals by a woman coming into the Games.
“I try not to think too much about history,” Ledecky said. “But I know those names, those people I'm with, they're swimmers I looked up to when I first started swimming. So it's an honor to be named among them.”
Ledecky led from the start and steadily pulled away, setting an Olympic record of 15:30.02 in the event that will join the women's program at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
It was like the race three years ago: Ledecky was ahead and everyone else was racing for a silver.
France's Anastasia Kerpichynikova was nearly half a lap behind but thrilled the home fans with a second place finish on the podium in 15:40.35.
The bronze went to Isabel Goze of Germany at 15:41.16.
After opening the Paris Games with bronze in the 400 freestyle, the result seemed more familiar to Ledecky.
He was clearly thrilled to be standing on top again, splashing water and pumping his fist several times as he paced the deck – a rare display of emotion for a stoic athlete who performs with machine-like efficiency.
“I know a lot of other people expected me to,” Ledecky said. “It doesn't make it easy. I mean, it's not always easy to follow through and you do the work.”
Marchand returns for more gold
As Ledecky walked off the deck with his gold medal, it was time for Marchand to leave for his second night.
no problem. In the 200 breaststroke, he destroyed the field in an Olympic record 2:05.85, dethroning another champion from Tokyo.
Australia's Zac Stubblety-Cook settled for silver this time, almost a second behind in 2:06.79. Casper Corbo from the Netherlands claimed bronze.
“The most exciting part of this race is watching him soak it all in and have his moments,” Stabletti-Cook said. “I think it's great. It's great for the sport of swimming and it's great to see the better half of 15,000 people chanting someone's name and watching the swim live.
Marchand got out of the pool and stared at the scoreboard. He ruffled his curly hair a few times and then threw his arms in the air.
He was done for at least a few hours. Next up is the 200 medley, which begins with the Thursday morning heat.
“I'm very proud of him,” said his coach, American Bob Bowman, who also coached Phelps. “This is a historic and massive effort.”
China's Pan Janelle set the first swimming world record at the Paris Games
China's Pan Zhanle, who lost almost all of these events, set her first world record of the Games, breaking her own record in the 100 freestyle.
He won in 46.40, easily eclipsing the 46.80 he set at the world championships in Doha in February.
Given the shallow pool at La Defense Arena, which was the main reason world records didn't fall in the first four days of the meet, it was an impressive performance.
Kyle Chalmers from Australia won the silver medal and David Popovici from Romania won the bronze medal.
Swedish gold for 5-time Olympian Sjostrom
Sarah Shostrom made her fifth Olympic gold medal celebration by winning the 100 freestyle.
Sjostrom had scaled back her program at the past two world championships, swimming only the 50 freestyle. He decided to add 100 at the Paris Games and boy did that decision pay off.
Her winning time was 52.16, and the U.S. settled for another silver medal — its eighth in swimming — when Tori Husk finished in 52.29. Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey won bronze.
