Go down in history. At only 21 years old, Léon Marchand is making a name for himself in swimming. The young prodigy from Toulouse, who trains in the United States, is now world champion in the 400m medley. A race during which he seized the world record from Michael Phelps. The Frenchman slammed a time of 4’02”50.
Phenomenal. This feat was followed live for Michael Phelps. Always classy, the man with 23 Olympic medals applauded the feat of Léon Marchand, before giving him his gold medal himself. On social networks, many French personalities have reacted to the exploit of the young Toulousain.
Absent from the tour in Japan, but present in Poissy to train this Saturday, Kylian Mbappé did not fail to note this performance. “World champion, world record broken, historic, ignites the striker of the France team on Instagram. Well done crack.”
“World champion by breaking the world record of a certain Michael Phelps, exceptional” split Tony Estanguet, three-time Olympic canoe-kayak champion. “Leon Marchand can become the greatest French sportsman in history,” swears cyclist and triathlete Felix Pouilly. “Too happy”, Martin Fourcade took a blow of old in front of this record.
Several politicians also reacted to this historic time of 4’02”50. Starting with Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. “World record and quite simply one of the greatest French sports performances in history”, exclaims the Minister of Sports. “Léon Marchand is a little more in the legend of swimming by breaking the record of Michael Phelps”, says Jean-Luc Moudenc, mayor of Toulouse.