The stage was set at the París La Défense Arena for the men’s 400m IM event on July 29. You could hear the loudest cheers from the 15,000 people in the stands. But their chants only grew louder as soon as Leon Marchand walked out. The 22-year-old had previously turned heads with his stellar performance in the heats. Most of the crowd was hoping he could recreate his incredible time of 4:08.30 in the finals as well. As he stepped into Lane 4, the Frenchman had only one goal on his mind: claiming his first Olympic gold medal.

The world record leader blazed past his competitors, increasing his lead with each stroke. If the silence from the stands was deafening before the race started, it kept increasing by an octave as it went on. And with an incredible time of 4:02.95, he had finally done it! Marchand not only shattered the world record, but he did something better! He had just clinched his maiden Olympic gold in front of his countrymen and women.

Leon Marchand is now a 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist

The 2023 400m IM World Champion had just gone ahead and set a new Olympic record. But do you know who held the previous record? Yep, you guessed it! Michael Phelps. Marchand’s time surpassed the most decorated swimmer’s record of 4:09.09 set at the Beijing Summer Games. However, the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist bested the legendary swimmer with yet another accomplishment. The 22-year-old achieved this incredible feat on his home turf. Even though Phelps has racked up a staggering amount of medals throughout his illustrious career, he was never able to achieve this feat himself.

After his magnificent win, he was asked how special it must have felt to clinch a win in the French capital. “Yeah, it was really hard for me to focus on myself today. I think that’s why, at the end, the pressure was insane because I could hear the whole stadium. That was amazing,” Marchand responded with a coy smile. He was then asked, “How are you going to celebrate your win?” The 400m IM World Record holder had a very simple answer. He was going to go see his parents tonight and then go to bed pretty early. It sounds like the perfect plan, doesn’t it? 

The atmosphere at the arena was electrifying. In every leg of the race, all you could hear were the rousing chants of “Allez, Léon!” Even though it looked like his lead might falter in the backstroke, he continued to push through. As the clock continued to keep track of the time, the stands kept yelling for the Frenchman to bring it home. During the freestyle, his competitors were trailing behind by five lengths. As soon as he completed the race, everyone in the stands went wild! Matsushita Tomoyuki clinched the silver medal with 4:08:62, while Carson Forster completed the podium with 4:08:66.

The 22-year-old has an advantage over Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps holds the title of being the most decorated swimmer in history. Having competed in five Summer Games between 2004 and 2016, the legendary swimmer has accumulated a staggering 28 Olympic medals: 23 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze. However, in the 16 years of his competitive swimming career, the G.O.A.T. has never had the chance to compete on his home ground. Could you imagine winning gold in your own nation? Leon Marchand can.

Even though the 5x Olympian has been bested, the power he consistently exuded in an Olympic pool is undeniable. He made his debut on the world’s biggest stage at the tender age of 15 and walked away with two bronze and six gold medals. But maintaining a legacy as big as his hasn’t always been the easiest. “I wanted to prepare how no one else ever had because I was thinking about doing something different that anybody ever had on this whole entire planet.” Michael Phelps ensured that he never missed a single day of training. As crazy as that sounds, we get why he’s a titan in the swimming world.

The ‘French Michael Phelps’ made winning the 400m IM look easy. But it won’t be the last time you see him in the Olympic pool. Marchand will soon be contesting in the 200m breaststroke, 200m 4-swim, and 200m butterfly on July 29 and August 1. After witnessing the thrilling atmosphere at today’s event, it’s safe to say that he will be vying for a few more Olympic golds in the rest of his events. Will he be able to come out at the top?