Over the past week, in front of an adoring and often tumultuous home crowd in Paris, the 22-year-old Frenchman with his signature mop of blond hair has firmly established himself as the next big name in international Olympic swimming.
Before these Summer Games, Marchand had never won a gold medal. Now, he has claimed four individual gold medals in a single Olympics, joining the ranks of legends like Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps. With each victory, including his latest on Friday night, where he celebrated by holding up four fingers, Marchand also shattered the Olympic record.
“It was crazy,” Marchand said of his final individual performance in the men’s 200-meter individual medley final at Paris’s La Defense arena. “Once again, the public was cheering. It was my last individual race [of these Games], so I told myself I had to really enjoy it.”
The swimming venue has been packed with Marchand fans, and after each victory, thousands joined in spirited renditions of La Marseillaise, France’s national anthem.
Marchand is expected to compete again on Sunday in a team relay final, where another gold medal is within reach.
Interestingly, Marchand’s development as a national icon in France has been significantly influenced by America’s dominant swimming system. He spends most of the year in the U.S. and recently competed in the NCAA system for Arizona State University.
After her race on Friday, U.S. swimmer Regan Smith, who often trains alongside Marchand, praised his abilities.
“I’ve had the opportunity to share a lane with him in practice for the better half of two years,” Smith said. “I’ve seen what he’s capable of every day. Physically, he’s incredibly talented. But what sets him apart is his mental strength. It’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met. He has this ‘It’ factor, this ‘je ne sais quoi.’ He knows how to get things done.”
