Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
France 24
France 24
Sport
NEWS WIRES

French swimming star Marchand secures fourth gold medal at Paris Olympics

Gold medallist France's Leon Marchand gestures while celebrating after competing in the final of the men's 200m individual medley swimming event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. © Jonathan Nackstrand, AFP

French swimming sensation Léon Marchand capped off his remarkable run at the Paris Olympics by winning his fourth swimming gold medal with a dominant performance in the 200-metre individual medley on Friday night. The 22-year-old French star set an Olympic record with a time of 1 minute, 54.06 seconds, solidifying his status as one of the standout athletes of the Summer Games in his home country.

France's Leon Marchand won his fourth gold medal of the Paris Olympics with an emphatic victory in the 200m individual medley on Friday in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

Marchand won in 1min 54.06sec, the second-fastest time in history and an Olympic record, with Britain's Duncan Scott taking silver and China's Wang Shun third.

It was another memorable night for the host nation at La Defense Arena with French President Emmanuel Macron among those in the crowd celebrating the latest night of glory for the 22-year-old poster boy.

Marchand had already pocketed golds in the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke, along with the 400m individual medley, making him the clear favourite in Friday's race.

China's Wang, the defending champion, led after the opening butterfly leg  but Marchand got himself in front during the backstroke.

He extended his lead with a strong breaststroke 50 before holding on to his advantage in the final, freestyle, leg as the crowd roared him towards the wall.

For Britain's Scott it was another silver to add to his collection -- he finished second to Wang in Tokyo and now has eight Olympic medals.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.