Paris 2024 Olympics: Swimmer Leon Marchand keeps all of France in a four-minute trance on way to first Olympic gold
They came into the arena in droves, some draped in flags, others wearing T-shirts that spelled out his name or holding carboard cut-outs of his face. Every couple of minutes, chants of his name would break out, spoken with the same reverence reserved for a lifelong football club allegiance.
If the opening night of swimming at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 was about the USA–Australia rivalry, there was no doubt that Sunday, 28 July belonged to France's Leon Marchand.
The euphoria surrounding the 22-year-old phenom continued to build as the clock ticked down to the night’s first final, the men’s 400m individual medley. By the time Marchand's name was announced and he walked out to the pool blocks, the cheers at Paris La Defense Arena reached a deafening roar.
The king had arrived.
"The emotions are very difficult to describe. It's unbelievable for a swimmer, I think it's very rare you get to experience this," the native of Toulouse in the south of France said.
“I had goosebumps, I felt really proud to be myself and to also be French tonight. It was an amazing time for me. I was really living in the moment.”
Only a few minutes later, the same screen that had introduced Marchand would flash his name again, top of the field, with an Olympic record time of 4:02.95 next to it. The most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, had held that Olympic record for nearly 16 years and it was fitting that it would be the pupil of Phelps' legendary coach, Bob Bowman, who would replace his name in the history books.
The three milestones of Leon Marchand's 400m IM gold medal
The significance of the 400m IM gold medal would not end with Marchand surpassing Phelps' Olympic record.
His victory also ended France's 12-year drought of Olympic gold in swimming. Florent Manaudou was the last French swimmer to win gold, at London 2012. and the French spectators saluted their new hero's accomplishment with a standing ovation.
Even the country's president, Emmanuel Macron, could not contain his excitement.
He called Marchand shortly after the swimmer received his medal. Still surrounded by festive crowds, which now also included Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet, Marchand put the phone closer to his ear and broke into a smile when he heard Macron's words on the other end of the line.
“That was a first for me," Marchand said. "He called me and told me that he was watching the final with all his family and everyone was kind of screaming on the phone."
National pride and phone calls from presidents aside, Sunday's victory was also a very personal milestone for Marchand. With his record-breaking strokes, the French swimmer not only earned his first career Olympic medal but also the first Olympic medal for his Olympian parents. His father, Xavier, competed in swimming at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Games. His mother, Celine Bonnet, swam at Barcelona 1992.
"It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little boy to do an Olympic final and to be Olympic champion, too," Marchand said. "Now I’m doing it at home in front of all these people. It was crazy.”
Leon Marchand celebrates his gold medal and Olympic record in the men's 400m individual medley at Paris 2024 on 28 July.
A race to speed up heartbeats
Marchand knew the spotlight would be on him when he stepped out for his first race at Paris 2024. A year ago, he had swept aside Phelps' nearly 15-year-old world record in the 400m individual medley on his way to winning gold at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, and had since become the poster child for a home Olympic Games.
In spite of this extra pressure, Marchand seemed impressively calm as he walked out to the pool in Paris La Defense Arena, even breaking into a smile as the stands around him exploded in cheers. It was, he admitted later, only an appearance.
"I never had a moment’s peace during those four minutes," Marchand said. "I was going àt 100 per cent the whole time. I was trying to set a record."
Marchand took the lead from the first, butterfly leg of the race, but it was the backstroke where he truly got an advantage, gaining a body’s length on the competition. By the breaststroke leg, the French swimmer was uncatchable, and the spectators cheered for each of his strokes, timing their chants to the brief moments when he came up for air.
They were on their feet in the final, freestyle laps as they welcomed their hero home.
"I realised that I was well ahead after the backstroke," Marchand said. "And after the last 50m, I really took advantage of the crowd around me, who were making a lot of noise. I knew I was ahead and I knew I was going to be Olympic champion, so it was a very beautiful moment for me.
"The atmosphere was amazing, I don't know how to explain it. I had goosebumps before, and during the race, too. On the breaststroke section I could hear everyone just cheering for me. That was special, and winning today was really amazing for me."
As he touched the wall, metres ahead of Japan's silver medallist Matsushita Tomoyuki and USA bronze medallist Carson Foster, Marchand turned to the scoreboard and took a moment to absorb his achievement before raising his right arm in a salute.
It was a moment frozen in time. A nation's 22-year-old hero, arm raised, silent, looking out at 15,000 people screaming his name.
Marchand's electrifying performance Sunday at Paris La Defense Arena is only the beginning of his story at Paris 2024. With three more individual finals to go, Marchand could soon become the first French swimmer to win multiple individual Olympic gold medals.
His coach Bowman certainly thinks it is possible.
"He can be better. He's not reached his potential," Bowman said after Marchand's golden night. "That was a great swim; he can definitely swim faster than that. I'm ranking him at the top right now because he's just got the total package. He's got the speed, he's got the endurance, he's got the underwaters."
So, how great exactly is Leon Marchand's potential? The coming week at Paris 2024 holds the answer.