10 times in five days before Friday night, Leon Marchand had climbed out of the La Defense pool and barely had time to breathe, a cool-down to be done, sleep to be snatched, another race soon to be swum.
But at last, on the 11th, he stopped and soaked it in. He raised arms aloft, then clasped hands in thanks, for the part this crowd and this country have played in the week of a young man’s life.
