4-FOR-4! Léon Marchand Wins Historic Fourth Gold Medal in 200m IM - Arizona State University Athletics (2024)

Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Sports

Olympics August 2, 2024 Zach Wargo, Media Relations Graduate Assistant

Léon Marchand becomes the 3rd male swimmer to win at least 4 individual medals at one Olympics.

PARIS – Three gold medals weren'tenough for Léon Marchand, and on Friday evening in Paris he added his fourth gold medal to his resume, winning the 200m IM in record-breaking fashion for his fourth win this week. He finished in 1:54.06 and broke Michael Phelps' Olympic record set in the 2008 Beijing games, becoming immortalized in Olympic history.

The victory makes Marchand the fourth swimmer ever to win four individual events in a single Olympics, joining Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, and Kristen Otto as the only swimmers to do so. Marchand is also the only Sun Devil to win four gold medals at one Olympic games.

After Friday's events, he is the only individual to win four gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Additionally, in all four of his races, he set Olympic records:the 400m IM, the 200m fly, 200m breast and the 200m IM.

Dan Hicks, NBC's lead commentator for Olympic swimming, NBC golf coverage and other top sporting events, had this to say on Léon Marchand's performance this week: "You spend a lifetime training for a week that you hope you're at your best, and then the Olympics are in your home country, and you deliver this type of performance. The stuff that dreams are made of for Marchand."

LEON MARCHAND DOES IT AGAIN. ??

HIS FOURTH GOLD MEDAL OF THE #ParisOlympics.

?? NBC and Peaco*ck pic.twitter.com/Mk1pStz1Oz

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 2, 2024

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!@leon_marchand immortalizes himself in Olympic history winning his fourth gold medal in an Olympic record time of 1:54.06 in the 200m IM!! ????????#ForksUp /// #OlympiansMadeHere /// #ParisOlympics2024 pic.twitter.com/mLLtFwusuZ

— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) August 2, 2024

From the start, Marchand jumped out to an early lead in the opening 50 meters and quickly opened up his lead on the backstroke and pulled away from the field on the breaststroke after making his second turn.

After opening up his lead in the final 50 meters, he was ahead of the world record pace. As he hit the wall, Marchand made his mark in Olympic history, giving his home country a memory they'll never forget in years to come with his 1:54.06 time to send La Defense Arena and French President Emmanuel Macron into a frenzy.

"I don't think anything went wrong this week," Marchand said. "It was just perfect."

In the magical six days for Marchand, he won two gold medals in two hours, became the face of France, and became one of the biggest phenomenons of the Paris Olympics so far. Marchand's victory Friday evening was so loud that it postponed the start of the decathlon's 400-meter run.

Something wild and cool happened at the track stadium. Before the decathlon 400m nothing else was going on. So the whole stadium was waiting for the race to start. But, it couldn't start because the crowd would not stop chanting in French. The announcer even had to ask everyone… pic.twitter.com/XJPEhmROyM

— Ashton Eaton (@AshtonJEaton) August 2, 2024

What a home Olympic Games for Leon Marchand! ???? #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/vgqNnF5bUR

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024

For Marchand, he has one more race to go in the Olympics, competing alongside three other French swimmers in the 4x100m medley relay. Qualifying heats begin 3:40 a.m. AZT.

The French phenom wasn't the only Sun Devil to find success in the pool either. The 200m fly bronze medalist and Sun Devil sophom*ore Ilya Kharun qualified for the 100m fly final set to take place Saturday at 11:30 a.m. AZT for an opportunity to medal for the second time this week for Canada.

Kharun qualified after throwing down a time of 50.68 in the 100m fly semifinal Friday evening.

Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (200m IM), 2024
Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (200m Breast), 2024
Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (200m Fly), 2024
Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (400 IM), 2024
James Harden (USA)/Men's Basketball, 2012
Amy LePeilbet (USA)/Women's Soccer, 2012
Dwight Phillips (USA)/Men's Track and Field (Long Jump), 2004
Nick Hysong (USA)/Men's Track and Field (Pole Vault), 2000
Agnes Kovacs (Hungary)/Women's Swimming (200 Breastroke), 2000
Atilla Czene (Hungary)/Women's Swimming (200 IM), 1996
Justin Huish (USA)/Archery (individual), 1996
Justin Huish (USA)/Archery (team), 1996
Maciel Malone (USA)/Women's Track and Field (4x400 relay), 1996
Jay Barrs (USA)/Archery, 1988
Troy Dalbey (USA)/Men's Swimming (400 free relay), 1988
Troy Dalbey (USA)/Men's Swimming (800 free relay), 1988
Ron Brown (USA)/Men's Track and Field (4x100 relay), 1984
Ria Stalman (Netherlands)/Women's Track and Field (discus), 1984
Herman Frazier (USA)/Men's Track and Field (4x400 relay), 1976
Melissa Belote-Ripley (USA)/Women's Swimming (100 backstroke), 1972
Melissa Belote-Ripley (USA)/Women's Swimming (200 backstroke), 1972
Melissa Belote-Ripley (USA)/Women's Swimming (400 medley relay), 1972
Ron Freeman (USA)/Men's Track and Field (4x400 relay), 1968
Jan Henne-Hawkins (USA)/Women's Swimming (100 freestyle), 1968
Bernie Wrightston (USA)/Diving (springboard), 1968
Joe Caldwell (USA)/Men's Basketball, 1964
Henry Carr (USA)/Men's Track and Field (200m), 1964
Henry Carr (USA)/Men's Track and Field (4x400 relay), 1964
Ulis Williams (USA)/Men's Track and Field (4x400 relay), 1964

Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (200m IM), 2024
Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (200m Breast), 2024
Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (200m Fly), 2024
Léon Marchand (FRA)/Men's Swimming (400 IM), 2024
Agnes Kovacs (Hungary)/Women's Swimming (200 breaststroke), 2000
Atilla Czene (Hungary)/Women's Swimming (200 IM), 1996
Troy Dalbey (USA)/Men's Swimming (400 free relay), 1988
Troy Dalbey (USA)/Men's Swimming (800 free relay), 1988
Melissa Belote-Ripley (USA)/Women's Swimming (100 backstroke), 1972
Melissa Belote-Ripley (USA)/Women's Swimming (200 backstroke), 1972
Melissa Belote-Ripley (USA)/Women's Swimming (400 medley relay), 1972
Jan Henne-Hawkins (USA)/Women's Swimming (100 freestyle), 1968

To follow along with the Sun Devils in 2024-25, follow the team's Twitter/X account, @ASUSwimDive and on Instagram @sundevilswimdive.