The French swimmer Leon Marchand has been sensational in the Paris Olympics 2024. He finished his campaign with five medals including four golds - the most by any male athlete, making him the most decorated male Olympian on this edition. (Medal Table | Schedule & Results | Full Coverage)
The 22-year-old Marchand got the home support and apart from winning four golds, he also secured a bronze medal in men’s 4x100m medley relay. He won gold in all of his individual events. He became the first male swimmer to win four individual medals in a single edition after USA's Michael Phelps.
Marchand's dominance began in the men's 400m individual medley, where he delivered a gold medal for France with a commanding victory, touching in at 4:02.95, just shy of his own world record.
But what followed was a historic night for Marchand, as he became the first swimmer to win both the 200m breaststroke and butterfly golds on the same night, both in Olympic record times. He set a new Olympic record in the 200m butterfly with a time of 1:51.21, and then led every meter of the breaststroke final, touching in at 2:05.85 to set another Olympic record.
Marchand's fourth gold medal came in the men's 200m individual medley, where he won in an Olympic record time, becoming the first French athlete to take four individual golds at a single Summer Games.
However, Marchand's quest for a fifth gold medal was thwarted in the men's 4x100m medley relay, where France won bronze, and China ended the United States' 64-year unbeaten run in the event.
USA's Torri Huske is the most decorated female Olympian of the Paris Olympics 2024 with five medals including three gold and two silver.
During the last edition of the Olympics in Tokyo, American swimmer Caeleb Dressel earned five gold medals, making him the most decorated male Olympian. Meanwhile, Australian swimmer Emma McKeon made history by winning seven medals, earning her the title of the most decorated female Olympian in Tokyo.
