Léon Marchand dazzled the French crowd once again on Friday, clinching his fourth gold medal of the games and setting a new Olympic record in the 200-meter individual medley.
His winning time of 1:54.06 surpassed the previous record of 1:54.23 set by American Michael Phelps in Beijing.
The 22-year-old swimmer from Arizona State University was met with cheers and chants of "Léon, Léon, Léon" as he stepped onto the podium, proudly singing national anthem of France, La Marseillaise.
Marchand’s impressive streak also includes victories in the 200 butterfly, 200 breaststroke, and 400 IM, all achieved with record-breaking times.
Moreover, Marchand might add another medal to his collection on Saturday in the 4x100 mixed medley relay, though his success will depend on his teammates' performances.
In other events, Australia’s Kaylee McKeown secured gold in the 200 backstroke with a new Olympic record of 2:03.73, edging out American Regan Smith, who won silver with a time of 2:04.26.
McKeown, who previously won gold in the 100 backstroke, now has a total of six medals, including five gold.
