By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam
2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
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Leon Marchand swam to gold in the men’s 400 IM in front of his home crowd. Marchand also swam to a new Olympic Record of a 4:02.95, breaking Michael Phelps‘ record from the 2008 Games.
“The atmosphere was amazing, I don’t know how to explain it,” Marchand said. “I had goosebumps before, and during the race too. On the breaststroke section I could hear everyone just cheering for me. That was special and winning today was really amazing for me. I opened my eyes, I listened to everything going on around me, and that really pushed me to do a good race.
The US did not go without a medal in the event as first-time Olympian Carson Foster swam to bronze. Foster also recognized the atmosphere inside of the stadium.
“It was pretty wild. It sounded like a soccer stadium,” Foster said. “But it is pretty cool. It’s so special for Leon to do that in his own country. That’s something I’ll be able to tell my kids about one day, hopefully. I swam next to Leon in his home country, in his home Olympics.
The US women had a 1-2 finish in the women’s 100 butterfly. After just missing the podium with a 4th place finish in Tokyo, Torri Huske was on her revenge tour tonight, touching first for gold.
“The key was my amazing support system. I have my family to thank, my friends, Huske said. “Of course, everyone at Stanford. love my Stanford home, all my teammates who push me every day, my coach. I wouldn’t be here today without them. They made this moment happen.”
Behind Huske was Gretchen Walsh, who came in as the top seed in heading into finals after swimming an Olympic Record in semifinals. Walsh is the World Record holder in the event and swam to her first individual Olympic medal winning silver.
“I’m so proud of Torri, she has worked so hard for that. I’m proud of myself,” Walsh said. “That was what America needed and wanted. It was a really special moment we shared up there on the podium.”
Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi posted an upset swimming a 59.03 to win the men’s 100 breaststroke. Martinenghi won bronze in Tokyo and chased down two-time reigning champion Adam Peaty of Great Britain who went on to tie with Nic Fink of the US for silver.
Martinenghi spoke of his win, “Today’s the final step, the gold medal in the Olympic Games, that’s my dream. I don’t know what to say. I can say that I am Olympic champion.”
Although he was unable to three-peat, Peaty still stood on the podium once again at the Olympics in the event. “For me, I feel like I’ve still won,” Peaty said. “That’s the beauty of it. My heart, I put my all into it and I couldn’t have put any more. My son there was obviously enjoying it, and that’s the true joy in it.”
Fink of the US, who has a full time job as an engineer and will soon become a father, also stood on the podium for silver. “It’s hard for me to process. I have a six-day break before more events. Everything going on in my life outside the pool has been really helpful to this accomplishment in my career. I am still in meet mode right now, but I am sure after it’s over, I will be better able to understand.”
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Leon Marchand After 400 IM Win “The atmosphere was Amazing…I had Goosebumps Before”