Swimming star Marchand

The boy who even outdoes Michael Phelps

(Bild: AFP/AFP or licensors)

The first week of the Olympic Games in Paris was dominated by France's swimming star Leon Marchand. In front of his own audience, the 22-year-old confirmed all the praise he has received from those who have compared him to record Olympic champion Michael Phelps. In some respects, he has already surpassed the US star.

"Marchons, marchons!" ("Let's march!", goes the French national anthem. These days, it could be rewritten as "Marchand! Marchand!" French swimming hero Leon Marchand is the undisputed superstar of the first week in Paris. As his start approaches in the La Defense swimming arena, it gets really loud, during the races and even more so after the - in the finals - so far always golden touch, the noise becomes deafening.