Leon Marchand achieved France's first Olympic swimming gold since 2012 by dominating the 400m individual medley race with the second-fastest time ever recorded. The 22-year-old led from the start, finishing in 4mins 02.95secs, leaving his competitors far behind. His victory set a new Olympic record in a thrilling performance at La Defense Arena in Paris. Trained by Bob Bowman, Marchand showcased his prowess, becoming France's first pool gold medallist in years. His remarkable backstroke leg propelled him to victory, surpassing his rivals and securing a historic win. Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi dashed Adam Peaty's hopes of a third successive win in the men's 100m breaststroke, with Peaty settling for silver alongside Nic Fink. The race was incredibly close, with Martinenghi clinching victory by a tiny margin. Team USA swept the women's 100m fly podium with Torri Huske outpacing world record holder Gretchen Walsh to claim gold. Huske's victory continued the event's legacy of never having a repeat winner, with China's Zhang Yufei securing the bronze medal.