French swimmer Léon Marchand has etched his name in Olympic history at the 2024 Paris Games, securing an unprecedented fourth gold medal in individual events. The 22-year-old from Toulouse clinched his latest victory in the 200m individual medley with a time of 1:54.06, setting a new Olympic record and narrowly missing Ryan Lochte’s world record by just six-hundredths of a second.Marchand’s remarkable feat places him in an elite group of swimmers who have won four individual titles in a single Olympics, alongside legends like Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps. His gold medal haul includes victories in the 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and 200m breaststroke. ‘It’s incredible, it was magical, really. I’m very good at managing my energy,’ Marchand said, reflecting on his achievement.The French swimming sensation’s success has significantly boosted France’s medal count, with the host nation now boasting 33 medals, including 10 golds, as of the seventh day of the Olympics. Marchand’s coach and teammates are now looking to him to potentially add to this tally in upcoming relay events.Other notable achievements at the Paris Olympics include American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson’s victory in the 100 meters with a time of 10.94 seconds, and French judoka Teddy Riner securing his third Olympic gold in the heavyweight category. The U.S. mixed 4×400 meter relay team set a new world record, though it remains to be challenged in the upcoming final.As the Games progress, attention turns to upcoming events such as the women’s vault final, where Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade aims to defend her title, and the highly anticipated women’s 100m sprint final, where Sha’Carri Richardson is favored to claim the title of ‘queen of the sprint’.
Key points
- Léon Marchand won his fourth gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, setting a new Olympic record in the 200m individual medley.
- Marchand joins an elite group of swimmers who have won four individual titles in a single Olympics.
- France’s overall medal count has been significantly boosted by Marchand’s performance, with 33 medals including 10 golds.
- Other notable achievements include Sha’Carri Richardson’s 100m victory and Teddy Riner’s third judo gold.
