French swimmer Léon Marchand cruises to two Olympic gold medals

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French swimmer Léon Marchand achieved another two gold medals on Wednesday evening, solidifying his status as the beloved local hero and rising star of the Paris Olympics.

In the midst of the loud cheers of many supporters calling out his name, the young athlete from Toulouse won first place in the 200m butterfly and then succeeded in the 200m breaststroke - an impressive feat considering there was only a two-hour gap between the races.

During the butterfly event, Marchand had to compete against Hungary's Kristof Malik, who was the champion and held the world record. Despite the intense competition, the French athlete was able to pull ahead in the last stretch and claim victory, setting a new Olympic record in the process.

During the breaststroke event, he broke an Olympic record and made history by being the first swimmer to win medals in both butterfly and breaststroke at a single competition.

The outcomes will only add to the excitement surrounding Marchand in France, as the quiet athlete shocked everyone by dominating his competitors in the 400m individual medley to win his first gold on Sunday.

He has provided a cause for the host country to rejoice despite the controversial start to the Paris games, issues with the triathlon events in the River Seine, and attempts to disrupt France's high-speed rail system.

There were happy shouts all over Paris on Wednesday evening as bars and cafes arranged televisions for customers to see their new champion.

A huge picture of Marchand getting ready to swim, wearing a cap and goggles, has been displayed on the side of the Tour Montparnasse building in southern Paris.

Marchand comes from a family that loves swimming, as both of his parents were Olympians in the past. Now, he is the one representing France and carrying the hopes of the nation in sports competitions.

His findings will determine whether France can take advantage of being the host country to achieve its aim of reaching the top five in the medals list - a significant improvement from previous results.

France began Wednesday evening in the fourth position, but thanks to Marchand's two gold medals, the country quickly climbed to second place behind China.

Marchand is making his mark in a sport that has historically been dominated by American swimmer Michael Phelps, who has won 28 Olympic gold medals and is considered the greatest swimmer of all time, as well as Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, who has won nine.

Since Marchand shattered Phelps' world record in the 400m individual medley last year, there has been a lot of excitement in the swimming world about him being the next big thing.

Marchand relocated to Arizona to work with Bob Bowman, the coach who used to train Phelps. Under Bowman's guidance, Marchand has enhanced his skills, focusing on improving his turns and recovery strategies.

One of the first things Bowman added to Marchand’s training routine was Phelps’ warm-up, and he continues to use it.

Therese Alshammar, a former Swedish Olympic swimmer with three medals, now works as a commentator for Eurosport. She advised against making comparisons, especially because Marchand is still at the beginning of his career.

She marveled at the fact that he is only 22 years old and competing in the Olympics in his own country without succumbing to pressure.

"He is embarking on a journey to become one of the most renowned swimmers in Europe, and possibly worldwide, though Michael may have a different perspective on that."

On Sunday, Bowman described his student as having all the necessary skills to become a champion.

"He possesses the quickness, he possesses the stamina, he possesses the underwater skills," the coach remarked about Marchand's smooth kicks at the beginning and end of races, as well as his capacity to outperform competitors in the challenging underwater portion of the events.

Marchand suggested that they should both swim the butterfly and breaststroke, but Bowman was hesitant to agree at first.

"I was leaning towards only doing one, even a week ago. But he seemed quite confident," he shared on Wednesday night.

Marchand smiled brightly as he stood on the podium for the second time that Wednesday night, singing along with the crowd as they proudly sang the French national anthem, La Marseillaise. "It's unbelievable to experience this as a swimmer from France," he shared with the press after the ceremony.

He mentioned that he was feeling the overwhelming support from the fans in the stadium, especially during his thrilling victory in the butterfly stroke.

"I could hear all the people at the pool cheering loudly, and I believe that's what helped me win the race," Marchand stated.