Image Credit: Getty Images
Regardless of the magnificence, Bowman added that there is a possible drawback to this moment, as he saw firsthand while assisting others reach famous status. He informed reporters he thinks Marchand can still enhance– and needs to endure success.
Fans saw a rather shy Léon Marchand become a legend after doing something that hadnt been performed in practically 50 years– winning 2 individual swimming gold medals in the same night, setting 2 Olympic records while doing so.
On Wednesday night at La Défense Arena, Marchand finished among the most adventurous doubles in swimming history, winning the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter breaststroke about two hours apart in his home nation with his fellow Frenchmen cheering him on with every stroke.
Once Marchands first race was announced on the cinema, the chants started: “Lé-on! Lé-on! Lé-on! Lé-on!” When he appeared on the pool deck, a roar went up, followed by more chants: “Lé-on! Lé-on! Lé-on! Lé-on!” The buzzer sounded, and an almighty cheer went up from the crowd.
And if there was a person to value the magnitude of what the 22-year-old has done at the Paris Olympics, its Bob Bowman– the longtime coach of Michael Phelps.
Marchand has actually been compared to the Flying Fish after breaking the 28 Olympic medal holders long-standing 400m individual medley world record in 2023. 5 days into the 2024 Olympic Games, Marchand has measured up to every expectation– and more– with 3 gold medals.
” Im so really happy with him,” Bowman said of his most current star pupil. “Thats an incredible, historical effort. It simply shows the extraordinary work that hes done for many years to get here.”
As soon as Marchands very first race was announced on the huge screen, the chants began: “Lé-on! Lé-on! Lé-on! When he appeared on the swimming pool deck, a roar went up, followed by more chants: “Lé-on!” Im a really shy person,” Marchand said.
La réaction de @MichaelPhelps sur NBC hier pendant le 200 pap de @leon_marchand est magique!
Incroyable Léon & #x 1f64f; & #x 1f3fc; pic.twitter.com/T58DlqePUa
— Sébastien Baguerey & #x 1f1ea; & #x 1f1fa; (@SebastienBGY) August 1, 2024
Bowman stated. “Hes got to come out of whats next.
But the swimmer appears to be on the right course as he isnt keen on the attention anyway. Rather of letting the outcry inflate his ego, he used it as fuel to be a better competitor.
” Im a truly shy person,” Marchand said. I was trying to get the energy from the whole crowd.
And to top it off, he got the approval of the most decorated Olympian in history.
” I think the easiest thing for me is thats probably the greatest double Ive seen in the history of the sport,” Phelps said of Marchands achievement, which was last done in 1976 by East Germanys Kornelia Ender, who won the 200 complimentary and 100 fly in Montreal.
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Indescriptible!! pic.twitter.com/1UwGTXw1Kr
— Léon (@leon_marchand) July 31, 2024
