France's Leon Marchand Wins 4th Gold Medal At Paris Olympics
By Jason Hall
August 2, 2024
France's León Marchand won his fourth gold medal in his fourth individual competition during the men's swimming 200-meter individual medley at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday (August 2).
Marchand, 22, finished with a time of 1:54.06, breaking American Michael Phelps' Olympic record of 1:54.23 set at the 2008 Beijing Games, but falling .06 seconds shy of Ryan Lochte's world record set in at the 2011 World Championships. The French phenom previously won gold in the men's 200-meter breaststroke, 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter individual medley events in Paris as one of the most popular athletes in his home country.
Great Britain's Duncan Scott took silver with a time of 1:55.31 and China's Wang Shun took bronze at 1:56.00.
Australia's Kaylee McKeown also swept the women's backstroke events, winning gold in the 200-meter backstroke final minutes before Marchand's event on Friday. McKeown, who had previously won gold in the women's 100-meter backstroke, set a new Olympic record at 2:03.73 in the 200-meter event with the United States' Regan Smith taking silver at 2:04.26 and Canada's Kylie Masse taking bronze at 2:05.57.
Australia also took gold in the men's 50-meter freestyle final with Cameron McEvoy winning with a time of 21.25. Great Britain's Benjamin Proud took silver with a time of 21.30 and France's Florent Manaudou took bronze at 21.56.