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FRANCE’S Leon Marchand won a sensational fourth Olympic gold in the Paris pool, beating Duncan Scott into second place, moments after Ben Proud also won a superb silver for Team GB. With French President Emmanuel Macron in the crowd, home superstar Marchand led from the start of the 200m medley to cap a sensational week for the 22-year-old.He emerged from the pool to an almighty roar, having become the first swimmer since US legend Michael Phelps to win four individual golds at one Games.Scott, 27, was second behind the Frenchman – just as he was at last year’s World Championships – and took silver for the sixth time in his career, and an eighth Olympic medal overall. Britain’s Tom Dean was fifth.
Earlier, fellow Englishman Proud ended his long wait for an Olympic medal by claiming silver in the 50m freestyle. At his third Olympics, 29-year-old Proud – who had won world, European and Commonwealth gold but never a medal on the sport’s biggest stage – was second, just 0.05 seconds behind Australia’s Cam McEvoy in the one-length sprint.France’s Florent Manaudou took bronze, which only ramped up the atmosphere for Marchand to enjoy more glory at the Games.
Despite pressure from Scott down the final leg, one of the poster boys of Paris 2024 proved too strong – as he has in all of his four finals this week – to complete one of the great achievements in recent Olympic history.
He now holds the 200m and 400m medley titles, as well as the 200m butterfly and breaststroke golds which were won in one session on Wednesday.
Perhaps, though, his remarkable achievement is best summed up by the fact he would be 10th in the medal table on his own.
https://emp.bbc.com/emp/SMPj/2.53.9/iframe.htmlMedia caption,
‘Brilliant!’ GB’s Ben Proud wins men’s 50m freestyle silver
‘The guy is a machine’ – Marchand matches greats
Only three other people – Phelps, fellow American icon Mark Spitz, and Kristen Otto, who won four golds for East Germany – have won four or more individual swimming medals at an Olympics.
That is the company with whom Marchand, seen as the successor to Phelps and coached by the US great’s former mentor Bob Bowman, now sits.
His races this week have been the most sought-after tickets and the atmospheres the loudest, since an Antoine Dupont-inspired rugby sevens side won gold for the hosts at least.
“It has been unbelievable for me this week,” Marchand told the BBC. “I am enjoying every moment of it and this crowd was crazy. I was enjoying everything, it was so cool.”
The temporary swimming venue, built in an indoor arena that usually hosts the rugby union team Racing 92, was rocking once more with ear-splitting levels of support as Marchand came home in triumph.
His win was rarely in doubt, missing out on Ryan Lochte’s world record mark by 0.06 seconds. When he saluted the crowd after holding up four fingers he received a thumbs-up from Macron, who had just leapt from his seat in celebration.
Marchand’s time of one minute 54.06 seconds was an Olympic record, breaking Phelps’ mark in 2008, and a third in his past three finals.
“The guy is a machine,” said BBC commentator and former Olympian Andy Jameson.
Rebecca Adlington, 2008 double Olympic champion for Team GB, said: “After doing two in one night this probably felt at ease. It was fantastic.”
‘Special to race him’ – Scott’s classy tribute
Scott’s silver also took him clear of Sir Chris Hoy as Scotland’s most decorated Olympian. He is now tied with Sir Bradley Wiggins, with only Sir Jason Kenny ahead on the British list, in terms of the overall medley tally.
Afterwards he paid tribute to Marchand, who denied him what would have been a long-awaited first individual gold to go with the 4x200m freestyle relay golds won in Tokyo and earlier this week in Paris.
“He showed his class there, that is very quick,” said Scott. “What he just went after what has been a busy schedule for the guy – it was special to race him.
“It is a great way to finish it [his individual events] off.”
Proud’s Olympic past had been one of near misses.
The man born in England, but who grew up in Malaysia before returning to the UK and then leaving to train in Turkey, was fourth at the Rio Olympics and fifth in Tokyo.
Proud considered his future in the sport after those Tokyo Games, but then won the world title in 2022 – a reward for, like Scott, one of Britain’s most respected and admired swimmers.
As ever, the margins were fine in the race known as ‘the Splash and Dash’ with McEvoy, himself at a fourth Games, holding on strongest to become the first Australian to win the title.
“Being second behind Cam seems like the most fitting thing,” said Proud. “The cherry on top is sharing the podium with Florent as we share the same coach.
“I might look back and see things I could have changed but in reality, that was probably the best swim I’ve done in a championship final.”
The silvers take Team GB to five swimming medals in Paris – one gold and four silvers – but they will have strong hopes of further success in the men’s and mixed 4x100m medley relays over the final two days of competition.
Photo Caption: GB’s Duncan Scott wins men’s 200m individual medley silver
BBC
3rd August, 2024.
C.E.
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