Pedigree and preparation set Marchand up for greatness

PARIS : Being the child of swimming Olympians and dubbed the "French Michael Phelps", living up to the hype has been the biggest test for Leon Marchand when diving into the Paris pool.

It's a test the 22-year-old has passed with flying colours, having swept three-out-of-three individual events on a wave of frenzied home support while re-writing the history books.

On Wednesday, Marchand did the unthinkable, claiming the unprecedented 200 metres butterfly and breaststroke double - with a medal ceremony in between.

Both swims were in Olympic record time, an incredible feat for two of the most demanding disciplines.

Marchand has been hot property since taking Phelps's 400 metres individual medley (IM) world record last year at the World Championships in Fukuoka where he took three individual world titles to add to his two from Budapest in 2022.

Few Olympic swimmers have generated the mania that has gripped La Defense Arena through the week.

The pressure on athletes at their home Games can be suffocating.

Ian Thorpe felt the heat in swimming-mad Australia before the 2000 Sydney Games - and was able to deliver by winning the 400 metres freestyle gold and two relay titles at them.

The buzz surrounding Marchand and his achievements are at another level, though.

Already the Olympic champion in the 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly and breaststroke, Marchand could emerge from Paris with four individual gold medals if he wins the 200m individual medley.

Such a feat would put the Toulouse-born 22-year-old in rare company, with only Phelps, Mark Spitz and Kristin Otto having won four or more individual events at a single Games.

American Phelps won a record five at the 2008 Olympics and his career total of 13 individual titles may never be