behind the “locomotives” Léon Marchand and Maxime Grousset, the Blues remain at the dock

2023-07-30 15:10:43
Leon Marchand, during the series of the 4×100 m medley relay, in Fukuoka (Japan), Sunday July 30, 2023. LEE JIN-MAN / AP

There are two ways to take stock of the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka (Japan). If we see the glass half full, it is the first time in history that France – in 4th place in the medal table, behind Australia, the United States and China – has won 4 medals. gold in individual swimming events. But if we see the glass half empty, the 6 tricolor medals were only won by two swimmers, out of the twenty-one entered individually in Japan. “We have come a long way. In two years, we have gone from one medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021, to six medals at the Worlds. There are many reasons for optimism,” wants to believe Jacco Verhaeren, the boss of the French teams, who took control after the Japanese debacle.

Leon Marchand, Phelps’ heir

He arrived in the land of the rising sun at the dawn of its firmament. Léon Marchand leaves Fukuoka with the title of best swimmer in the world championships and three gold medals around the neck. «Shinkaibutsu» (literally “the new monster”), as the Japanese call him, broke the world record in the 400m medley by expropriating American legend Michael Phelps before his eyes (4 min 2 s 50, against 4 min 3 s 84).

Also read the report: Article reserved for our subscribers Léon Marchand, world champion in the 200m butterfly, the “new monster” of swimming that fascinates the Japanese

The pink City ” even dressed in green and white, colors of the Dauphins du TOEC, the Toulouse club, which is now the most successful French swimmer in history in the world championship, and the first to win three individual titles in a single edition. “I think this is just the beginning. [de sa collection] », he announced without boasting. One year from the Paris 2024 Games, the impact of his performances has gone far beyond the French and Japanese borders, a notoriety that he will have to learn to manage between now and the Olympic high mass.

Grousset, in the wake of the Marchand vessel

Maxime Grousset, during the 4x100m medley relay final, in Fukuoka (Japan), Sunday July 30, 2023. YUICHI YAMAZAKI / AFP

“It’s like a liberation, so no it’s not a Poulidor! », exclaimed Michel Chrétien, Saturday evening, after Maxime Grousset’s gold medal in the 100m butterfly. After his second (in 100m freestyle) and his third (in 50m) places at the Budapest 2022 Worlds, his swimmer finally won a world champion title. Already tanned twice in the week, on 50 m butterfly, and on 100 m freestyle, the sprinter of Insep achieved a masterstroke on the round trip in butterfly, by signing the 5th time in history (50 seconds 14) for his attempt over the distance at the world championships. Sunday, alongside Marchand, he took the 4×100 medley relay (also composed of Yohann Ndoye-Brouard and Hadrien Salvan), at the end of the Worlds, finishing at the foot of the podium.

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