Phenomenon Marchand wins historic fourth gold as Scott lands superb silver
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Leon Marchand's triumphant finish at La Defense Arena was met with enthusiastic applause from the French spectators, including President Emmanuel Macron, who gave him a thumbs up. This victory solidified Marchand as the reigning champion of the pool, marking yet another impressive moment for him on the road to Paris 2024. His exceptional performance not only showcased his talent but also demonstrated his absolute control over the competition. Marchand's dominance in swimming is a game-changer, and the impact of his success this week may have far-reaching effects leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Marchand's amazing performance should not take away from Duncan Scott's impressive swim, which earned him another fantastic silver medal. This brings his total Olympic medal count to eight, putting him in second place on the list of most decorated British Olympians, behind only Jason Kenny who has nine medals. Despite Scott's outstanding freestyle swim, which was 0.58 seconds faster than Marchand, it was not enough to overcome the Frenchman's dominant breaststroke leg. This allowed the French fans to enjoy the final 50m of the race.
"I am willing to participate in any relay race," Scott said as he nears Kenny. "No matter what the event is or which part I have to run. However, I believe I am in a separate category from these athletes who have excelled in previous Olympic Games, like Kenny, Hoy, and others."
Please do not compare me to other athletes. I have been motivated by them since I was a child, such as Andy Murray. As I participate in my third Olympic Games at 27 years old, Murray has always been the athlete I admired. He showed me how to compete against the best in the world on the grandest stage.
I don't want to compete against these guys. They keep winning gold medals while I am only receiving silver medals and relying on my teammates in relay races.
Tom Dean, who secured his spot on Strictly Come Dancing this week, was narrowly beaten by Shun Wang, the reigning champion from Tokyo, for third place. He ended up in fifth place, with the USA's Carson Foster coming in fourth.
Marchand, who is 22 years old, is the star of the Games because of his impressive medal collection and exceptional racing skills. His performance has inspired sports fans globally, and his recent fourth gold medal puts him in a prestigious group of swimmers who have won more than three individual gold medals in a single Games, alongside Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz.
The newest athlete trained by Bob Bowman, who coached Phelps during his incredible career, Marchand is challenging the norms of the sport. He demonstrated this by achieving a remarkable feat on Wednesday night: completing two individual swimming events within a two-hour period. This accomplishment makes him the first male swimmer in more than a century to win two individual titles in one session, a record previously held by Australian swimmer Phil Lane.
Marchand is not a bully at all. In the 200m butterfly race, he calmly stayed behind as Kristof Milak from Hungary took the lead. Eventually, Marchand caught up to the world record holder in a fast race to the finish line. Marchand also uses a psychological strategy in each of his races. This tactic is effective in two ways. The intense support from the crowd motivates him, especially with the well-timed cheers every time he takes a breath during the breaststroke.
However, what sets him apart is his powerful burst off the wall during the turn: Marchand can smoothly swim underwater for as long as 15 meters in a 50-meter pool. This unexpected tactic can leave his competitors surprised and struggling to keep up with only 35 meters left in the race.
No lethal finish was required as the top Marchand ruled the pool in Paris.
Ben Proud Wins Olympic Medal In The 50m Freestyle
Before, the 'splash and dash' event delivered on its promise with an exciting 50m freestyle final that was won by Cameron McEvoy in 21.25 seconds.
However, Ben Proud managed to secure the silver medal, his first ever Olympic medal, coming in just five-hundredths of a second behind the Australian competitor. Both athletes had the fastest qualifying times entering the final race. While Proud may have had his sights set on the gold medal, his past experiences of finishing in fourth and fifth place in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo added to the significance of this silver medal. The atmosphere in the arena was tense leading up to the race. A quiet anticipation fell over La Defense Arena after the enthusiastic applause for the notable competitors, including the USA's Caeleb Dressel, who had won five Olympic gold medals just three years prior.
Florent Manaudou, who previously questioned the level of excitement in his country for sports, energized the audience by clapping loudly. Creating a lively atmosphere, he thrived off the loud cheers as the eight men dove into the pool and raced through the water. The French crowd erupted with joy as their favorite swimmer narrowly beat Canada's Josh Liendo by a mere two-hundredths of a second.
Proud and triumphant, Manaudou stood on the lane divider, looking for someone special, fist clenched in excitement as if he had just won a gold medal.
"It was a tough experience at the time, but looking back, it was necessary for my growth," Proud shared. "I have faced many challenges since then, but it has taught me valuable lessons."
All of this has helped me achieve a good balance in my swimming. I feel like a changed individual. Coming in second behind Cam feels right, and the best part is being able to stand on the podium alongside Florent.
