Marchand lit up Paris with stratospheric gold in 400 style

It was the big day in Paris. At least, the first of them, because the search for the 200 breaststroke-200 butterfly double does not promise to be less impressive. But that’s the truth Léon Marchand did not disappoint to light up La Défense Aréna with apotheotic gold in few 400 styles for history in a pool delivered to the Games, “his” Games, that a few months ago they chose him as the main symbol of French swimming.

The truth is that he achieved that facet very well, with a meteoric path to the Olympic event. But It had to be endorsed on the day of truth, at ‘hour H’. Marchand didn’t disappoint anyone and signed on an impressive showing in the final of the 400 styles to become the Olympic champion. It was in the middle of a day that also saw Nicolò Martinenghi crowned in the 100 breaststroke and Torri Huske in the 100 butterfly.

Those were the three finals of the day, but the one with 400 styles is ‘the’ final for the organizing country. Everyone is waiting to see what Marchand can do. In that ‘all’ there is also the greatest legend in history, a Michael Phelps who after passing his baton to the Frenchman as the world record holder for the distance last year in Fukuoka is ready to see what the ‘Léon King’ can do.

Marchat signs another mark for memory, an unfavorable 4:02.95 that was close to 4:02.50 which marks the Japanese summer. A mark that no mortal could reach, as well as for Phelps with his 4:03.84 from Beijing, and would have been a new world record if not for the fact that the Frenchman turned every appearance into an absolute exhibition. Earlier this Sunday, Tomoyuki Matsushita, silver with 4:08.62, and Carson Foster, bronze with 4:08.66 could do nothing in the final ‘photo-finish’ with Max Litchfield (4:08.85).

It was another race, because Marchand was ahead of us he clearly wanted to win big. He went out like a flash in the butterfly, six tenths below his world record. I was holding them in the first part of the back, but He suffered a bit in the second, which ultimately prevented another legendary record from being created.

Because Marchand pulled like no other in the breaststroke thanks to his good turns, which allowed him to stand crawling in front in the fight for a record that ended up escaping him. What is not missing is a stratospheric gold that he confirmed on Olympus: with five world golds on his record, He is also a champion in the biggest event in universal sport.

Nicolò Martinenghi and Torri Huske, big surprise, champions in the last stroke

If the men’s 400 style final was Marchand’s total exhibition, there was no shortage of emotion in finals in Paris. Nicolò Martinenghi was named Olympic champion in the 100 breaststroke in a colorful finale where, with 59.03 seconds, won the wall touch over Adam Peaty and Nic Fink, both finishing second in 59.05. The Briton missed out on the victory in the very close final metre.

That wasn’t the only close final of the day. The 100 female butterflies they left victoryand Torri Huske in a spectacular face-off against Gretchen Walsh, who started as a huge favorite for gold after her stunning world record of 55.18 seconds during the American trials. However, this time, Huske won with 55.59 and Walsh didn’t go past 55.63. Although he sang the American anthem from the first box of the podium in a great gesture by Huske, who asked him to accompany him, Walsh suffered a big surprise that day. China’s Yufei Zhang was third with 56.21 seconds.

Three more semi-finals marked the day. David Popovici showed his candidacy for gold in the 200 freestyle after shining in the semifinals with 1:44.53. He was followed by Duncan Scott (1:44.94) and Luke Hobson (1:45.19). Besides, Ariarne Titmus (1:54.64) and Mollie O’Callaghan (1:54.70) met for a new great duel in the 200 freestyle after almost identical semifinals. Claire Weinstein was third with 1:55.24. while, Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) went 1:05.00 in the 100 breaststroke semifinals ahead of Mona McSharry (1:05.51) and Lilly King (1:05.64). The big surprise was the elimination of Ruta Meilutyte, eleventh with 1:06.89.

Results of the day’s tests

Man
200 free (semifinals, top8): 1. David Popovici (Romania) 1:44.53, 2. Duncan Scott (Great Britain) 1:44.94, 3. Luke Hobson (United States) 1:45.19, 4. Lukas Maertens (Germany) 1:45.36, 5. Maximilian Giuliani (Australia) 1:45.37, 6. Danas Rapsys (Lithuania) 1:45.48, 7. Matthew Richards (Great Britain) 1:45.63, 8. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (Japan) 1:45.88
100 breaststroke (final): 1. Nicolò Martinenghi (Italy) 59.03, 2. Adam Peaty (Great Britain) 59.05, 2. Nic Fink (United States) 59.05, 4. Melvin Imoudu (Germany) 59.11, (5. Germany Matzerath ) ) 59.30, 6. Arno Kamminga (Netherlands) 59.32, 7. Haiyang Qin (China) 59.50, 8. Caspar Corbeau (Netherlands) 59.98
400 medley (final): 1. Léon Marchand (France) 4:02.95, 2. Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japan) 4.08.62, 3. Carson Foster (United States) 4:08.66, 4. Max Litchfield (Great Britain) 4: 08.85, 5. Alberto Razzetti (Italy) 4:09.38, 6. Lewis Clareburt (New Zealand) 4:10.44, 7. Daiya Seto (Japan) 4:11.78, 8. Cedric Buessing (Germany) 4:17.76
feminine
200 free (semifinals, top8): 1. Ariarne Titmus (Australia) 1:54.64, 2. Mollie O’Callaghan (Australia) 1:54.70, 3. Claire Weinstein (United States) 1:55.24, 4. Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong) 1:55.51, 5. Junxuan Yang (China) 1:55.90, 6. Barbora Seemanova (Czech Republic) 1:56.06, 7. Erika Fairweather (New Zealand) 1:56.31, 8. Mary-Sophie Harvey (Canada) 1:56.37
100 breaststroke (semifinals, top8): 1. Tatjana Smith (South Africa) 1:05.00, 2. Mona McSharry (Ireland) 1:05.51, 3. Lilly King (United States) 1:05.64, 4. Qianting Tang (China) 1 :05.83, 5. Alina Zmushka (neutral) 1:05.93, 6. Angharad Evans (Great Britain) 1:05.99, 7. Benedetta (Italy) 1:06.12, 8. Eneli Jefimova (Estonia) 1:06. . 11. Meilutyte Route (Lithuania) 1:06.89
100 butterfly (final): 1. Torri Huske (United States) 55.59, 2. Gretchen Walsh (United States) 55.63, 3. Yufei Zhang (China) 56.21, 4. Angelina Köhler (Germany) 56.42, 5. Ana Margaretda MacNeil ) ) 56.44, 6. Emma McKeon (Australia) 56.93, 7. Mizuki Hirai (Japan) 57.19, 8. Louise Hansson (Sweden) 57.34