Leon Marchand of France has dominated the 400-meter individual medley swimming event in recent years, clinching the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, and currently holding the world record. His stellar performance continued as he secured Olympic gold by outshining his competitors at La Defense Arena with a record-breaking time of 4:02.95, surpassing Michael Phelps’ previous Olympic record.
Marchand’s outstanding achievement was complemented by the fervent support of the home crowd, who passionately rallied behind him. The electric atmosphere fueled Marchand’s performance, propelling him to victory with a substantial lead of six seconds.
“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,” Marchand expressed after his victory.
The 22-year-old French sensation, who previously competed for Arizona State collegiately, has further opportunities to expand his medal collection in the 200 IM, 200m butterfly, and 200m breaststroke events later in the week.
On the second day of the Olympics, the United States leads the medal standings with 12 medals – three gold, six silver, and three bronze. Japan and Australia surpass the US in terms of gold medals, each securing four golds.
Haley Batten made history in American Olympic cycling with a remarkable second-place finish in the cross-country mountain bike event near Paris. Despite incurring a fine for a minor violation during the race, Batten’s achievement marked the best ever finish by an American cyclist. She displayed resilience in overcoming a punctured tire and swiftly returned to the race with the assistance of the U.S. team mechanics.
Carson Foster claimed bronze in the 400-meter individual medley, narrowly missing the silver by a hair’s breadth. Foster’s tenacity and strong performance throughout the race showcased his potential for future success on the Olympic stage.
A thrilling women’s 100-meter butterfly final saw Torri Huske securing a narrow victory over teammate Gretchen Walsh to clinch gold. The event marked a significant milestone for Team USA, achieving a 1-2 finish in the women’s 100m fly for the first time since 1984.
Nic Fink added to the US medal count with a silver in the 100-meter breaststroke, becoming the oldest first-time U.S. Olympic swimming medalist at 31 years old. The closely contested race saw Fink narrowly missing out on gold by a fraction of a second.
In a historic all-American final in the women’s foil individual fencing event, Lee Kiefer triumphed over Lauren Scruggs to clinch the gold, securing her second consecutive Olympic title in the foil discipline. The event marked the first instance of an All-American final in the individual foil in Olympic fencing history.