Frenchman Léon Marchand won the 200m butterfly final on Saturday August 15 at the European Swimming Championships in Paris, signing the best world performance of the year to win his first European title.
Two years after his exploits at the Paris Olympics, the Toulouse man won in style in 1 min 51 sec 72, well ahead of the Hungarian Richard Marton (1 min 54 sec 6) and the Greek Apostolos Siskos (1 min 54 sec 13).
The 24-year-old swimmer battled for a long time with his training partner at Bob Bowman in the United States, the Hungarian Hubert Kos, who gave him a hard time over the first 150 meters. Hubert Kos finally broke down when Léon Marchand took the lead alone in the last length.
“It was a great moment! I was already in contact with Hubert and there was a crazy atmosphere in the pool, so I will simply remember it for a long time,” appreciated the champion.
First individual title at home
“The last 50 were really good. I think it’s the best 50 I’ve done in a long time, but that also means that I could perhaps have left faster,” he analyzed directly.
This is the first individual title for the French team during this Euro at home.
Also readEuro swimming: injured, Léon Marchand adapts his objectives
Quadruple Olympic champion and seven-time world champion, Léon Marchand had never before won a title at the continental level. Reduced by an adductor injury that occurred at the French Championships, the swimmer reduced his program for the competition.
For the last day of competition on Sunday, he will tackle a new challenge: measuring his potential in the 400m freestyle, a discipline that he has never fully explored at the highest level.
With AFP
