In just a few days, he has become the darling of the French. It was a double victory for swimmer Léon Marchand on Wednesday evening, July 31, in just two hours. Gold in the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter breaststroke, three days after his title in the 400-meter medley. He has already won three Olympic titles and the series could even continue.
3 min
Everywhere, in the fan zones of the capital and all over France, in bars and restaurants, ” Leon! Leon! ” rang out on Wednesday evening. In two races, barely 2 hours apart, Léon Marchand, 22, literally electrified the French with his smile surrounded by two dimples and his piercing blue eyes and a very natural style. Three gold medals and a style all light and calm, it didn’t take more to trigger the “Marchand mania”.
The international press conquered
The foreign press also seems to have succumbed to the charms of the Frenchman from Toulouse, in the south of the country. In the United States, where Léon Marchand trains, the New York Times gets carried away: ” The French athlete that these Olympic Games needed ” The daily newspaper does not hesitate to describe the swimmer as “ of heroes and superhumans who descend from another world ” For his part, the Washington Post title ” Leon Marchand, the Prince of Paris ” In Spain, the sports daily Brand greets “ the apotheosis » from Toulouse. « No one could beat him ” adds the World Sports.
The Hungarian press also commented on the Frenchman’s victory. It must be said that the Hungarian Kristof Milak, reigning Olympic champion, was overwhelmed by Léon Marchand. It’s hard to find the words ” writes the Hungarian daily Nemzeti Sport. The Belgian daily The evening uses a poetic image to describe the 187 cm Frenchman: ” Leon Marchand flies underwater “.
In France, Léon Marchand makes the front page of Parisian. ” All powerful “, says the Parisian daily, which even goes so far as to already imagine it” at the Pantheon “. Le Figarofor his part, titles “ King Leon » accompanied by a photo with the swimmer’s now famous dimples. President Emmanuel Macron also saluted the feat on X with a wink ” Dream Merchant “.
A harvest that could continue
This Thursday morning on RFI, the former Minister of Sports Roxana Maracineanu tried to uncover Léon Marchand’s secret: ” It’s a lot of talent, but also genetics because both of his parents are Olympian swimmers. “For the former swimmer, it is also” a lot of work and above all, incredible intelligence and racing tactics ” Starting this Thursday evening at 9:34 p.m., Léon Marchand will participate in the semi-final of the 200-meter medley before the final on Friday, which could bring a new medal – perhaps gold – to Léon Marchand.
Read also2024 Olympic Games: Historic double Olympic victory in one evening for Léon Marchand