Leon Marchand dethrones second reigning champion of the day in 200m breaststroke, taking two gold medals within two hours

In an epic 200m breaststroke faceoff, French superstar Leon Marchand dethroned the reigning Olympic champion for the second time within two hours, taking his second Olympic gold medal of the day with an Olympic record time of 2:05.85 at Paris 2024 on Wednesday July 31.

This marks Marchand as the first French swimmer to ever take three gold medals, and he did it all within four days in front of an enthusiastic home crowd of over 15,000 at the Olympic Aquatics Centre.

Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook went into the race as the reigning Olympic champion, but took the silver medal with a time of 2:06.79, 0.94 seconds behind Marchand. It was Stubblety-Cook’s record from Tokyo 2020 that the Frenchman broke Wednesday night.

“I was stoked at that result,” Stubblety-Cook said after the race.

“Leon is like an ultimate competitor. I left nothing out there so I can’t complain. Silver for me, to get back on the podium after Tokyo, I’m content with that. There is still definitely more. I’d like to get quicker than that,” he added.

Many people expected the Australian to kick the race into gear and catch up to Marchand in the final 50m, but he was unable to make up lost ground and ultimately fell short against the 22-year-old Frenchman.

“It’s his moment. He’s hungry. He’s on the cusp of being one of the greatest swimmers. We’re just seeing the beginning,” the Australian said.

“Maybe if it was someone else, I wouldn’t be as happy for them, but I was stoked for him to have that moment in front of the home crowd. To see someone achieve that, I can’t complain.”

Less than two hours earlier, Marchand dethroned Hungary’s Kristof Milak in the 200m butterfly final. Milak still holds the world record in that event, but the Olympic record he set at Tokyo 2020 was broken by Marchand.

So, to put it simply, Marchand won two gold medals, dethroned two reigning champions and set two Olympic records, all within two hours.

And to make it all the more exciting, it was all done at home, in France.

Netherland’s Caspar Corbeau took third in a time of 2:07.90, and was thrilled to have finished within seconds of the former and current champions, saying that it was “awesome” and “surreal.”

“[I’m] happy with the result … to see a third place on the scoreboard is really special, and I’m really happy to do that at the side of the best of the world.”