NANTERRE, France — French sensation Leon Marchand continued his meteoric rise at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first swimmer in history to win the 200-meter butterfly and 200-meter breaststroke at the same event — and do it on the same night.
Marchand won the first gold medal of the day in the 200m butterfly, setting an Olympic record with a time of 1:51.21. He overcame Hungary's Kristof Milak to win the event after coming from behind to beat second-place finisher Kristof Milak in 1:51.75.
Unbelievable. Leon Marchand wows the Paris crowd with an incredible comeback. 🇫🇷#ParisOlympics | 📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/oErY1zMUvu
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2024
About two hours later, Marchand set a new Olympic record by swimming the 200-meter breaststroke in 2 minutes, 5.85 seconds, perhaps the best overnight swimming result in Olympic history.
“I knew I could finish the race but I might not win,” Marchand said. “I had no idea (if I could win both).”
Earlier this week, Marchand won gold in the 400-meter individual medley, making him undefeated in all three events with one event remaining on his program.
He is just the fourth male swimmer in Olympic history to win two or more individual gold medals in the same tournament.
“Martin's journey to greatness continues!” 🇫🇷
Leon Marchand is unstoppable in his home country, winning the gold medal in the men's 200m breaststroke. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/DEAEFeIxG4
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2024
The 22-year-old Frenchman was competing in his home Olympics, under intense scrutiny throughout the tournament, carrying the pressure and expectations of a nation with him at every swim. And he lived up to it.
Marchand's time of 4 minutes 2.95 seconds in the 400m individual medley was also an Olympic record, breaking the record set by Michael Phelps in 2008. It was Marchand's first Olympic gold medal, a goosebump-inducing moment, and he said he was proud of himself and his country.
Wednesday was supposed to be the highlight of Marchand's program in Paris. He was hoping to qualify for the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke finals in two hours. It's an ambitious double that includes two tough races, but Marchand said his NCAA experience at Arizona State prepared him for the schedule. He's used to doubles and short turnarounds between races, and he was confident he could handle the schedule here.
Marchand's coach, Bob Bowman, told him after the 400 individual medley final that he thought the double win on Wednesday was possible given the strength of Marchand's breaststroke.
Marchand said the past few days have been “like a marathon,” but he believes he has had plenty of time to recover and prepare. Winning two gold medals in one night was his dream.
“I won two gold medals in two hours, it's just unbelievable,” he said.
Marchand exuded confidence at nearly every turn at his home Olympics, with Paris' La Défense arena wrapping its arms around him and the crowd roaring and roaring every time he took to the starting blocks, with one athlete likening the atmosphere to that of a soccer game.
Stop what you're doing and listen. 🔉
Leon Marchand thrilled the Paris fans with his comeback win. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/3a5tdktQ0a
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 31, 2024
But Marchand had been preparing for this moment, and coming into the competition he knew how hard he had practiced to succeed on this stage. Bowman had a similar experience to his former protégé, Phelps, who tried to keep Marchand in line and avoid as many potential distractions as possible.
“The most important thing is to be prepared in the water, the most important thing is to swim as fast as possible,” Marchand said. Athletic “But it's a domestic Olympics, so it's not just about swimming.”
Being at home for the Olympics also means his smile will be even bigger after he touches the finish line and the cheers will be louder than he ever imagined.
Marchand will have another chance to win a medal in the men's 200-meter individual medley, as he will compete in the qualifying round for that event on Thursday morning.
For more information on Olympic swimming, AthleticLive blog.
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(Photo by Bradley Canaris/Getty Images)
