Léon Marchand Shines at Paris Olympics with Multiple Swim Golds

Léon Marchand claimed his fourth swimming gold at the Paris Olympics by winning the 200-meter individual medley. The French swimmer set an Olympic record in the event. Meanwhile, Australian swimmers Cameron McEvoy and Kaylee McKeown also secured golds. McEvoy won the 50 freestyle, and McKeown triumphed in the 200 backstroke.

Léon Marchand completed his dominating run through the Paris Olympics, capturing his fourth swimming gold with another runaway victory in the 200-meter individual medley on Friday night.

The 22-year-old French star left no doubt he'll be remembered as one of the biggest stars of the Summer Games in his home country. He touched in an Olympic record of 1 minute, 54.06 seconds, narrowly missing Ryan Lochte's 13-year-old world mark.

That was about the only achievement that eluded him at La Defense Arena, where he had already claimed victories in the 400 IM, 200 butterfly, and 200 backstroke — the latter two events just hours apart.

Before Marchand's triumph, Cameron McEvoy and Kaylee McKeown grabbed more gold for Australia. McEvoy captured the 50 freestyle, preventing Caeleb Dressel from repeating his win in swimming's most frantic event. Shortly after, McKeown won the 200 backstroke, becoming the first female swimmer to sweep the back at two consecutive Summer Games.

McEvoy became the first Australian man to win gold at these games, quickly adding to his country's total, which now leads with seven golds overall. He finished the race in 21.25 seconds, edging out Britain's Benjamin Proud by five-hundredths of a second. France's Florent Manaudou took bronze in 21.56, thrilling the home crowd.

Dressel, who won five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, came in sixth with a time of 21.61 seconds.

McKeown rallied just as she did in the 100 backstroke, overtaking American runner-up Regan Smith. McKeown set an Olympic-record time of 2:03.73, breaking Missy Franklin's 2012 London Games mark. Smith finished with her fifth silver medal at 2:04.26, still in search of her first gold. Canada's Kylie Masse earned the bronze with a time of 2:05.57.