Is a new Michael Phelps emerging at the Olympics?

French swimmer Leon Marchand made history in front of a rousing crowd on Wednesday with a double gold medal. Amidst an extraordinary and deafening atmosphere, Marchand achieved the rare feat of winning two individual golds in the same swimming session.

The 22-year-old first outclassed reigning champion and world record holder Kristof Milak of Hungary to win the title 200m butterfly And less than two hours later, he returned to the pool to easily win the 200 m breaststroke.

With these last two medals he adds three golds at the Games and comparisons with American swimmer Michael Phelps – winner of 28 medals in five different Games – were not long in coming.

No one had ever completed the men’s 200m butterfly-breaststroke double before and Marchand won both by beating Olympic record.

“Leon Marchand is an absolute sensation,” exclaimed BBC sports commentator Ali Bruce-Ball after watching his performance.

“He did the unthinkable, he did the double. A double Olympic champion in one session, I can’t believe that.”

“Not even Michael Phelps tried it. What audacity,” Bruce-Ball concluded.

Family of swimmers

By becoming the first swimmer to win two individual golds in one night at the Olympic Games since 1976, Marchand cemented himself as a global sporting superstar.

“When you talk about Michael Phelps, when you talk about Ian Thorpe, now you’re going to have to talk about Leon Marchand because I think he’s one of the best things we’ve ever seen,” said British Olympic champion Adrian Moorhouse.

Born in Toulouse, a city in the south of France, Marchand could be said to have pool water in his blood.

Both of her parents competed for France at the Olympic Games in the 200m individual medley. Her mother, Céline, competed in Barcelona in 1992, while her father, Xavier, competed in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000.

Marchand was coached by Phelps’ former mentor, Bob Bowman.

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