SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Olympic host France is basking in the glory of hosting these games and boasting one of the biggest stars of these Olympics, the prince of Paris, King Leon, Aquaman. Yes, we are talking about 22-year-old swimming sensation Leon Marchand, who has ignited these games and his country. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports from Paris.
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ELEANOR BEARDSLEY, BYLINE: A Paris bar broadcasting the Olympics erupted with joy Friday evening, when Leon Marchand took his fourth gold medal of the games in the 200-meter medley.
UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: (Singing in non-English language).
BEARDSLEY: Marshawn is electrifying the country, says Sylvie Bala, who compares him to French soccer icon Kylian Mbappe.
SYLVIE BALA: I love him. He's so amazing. He's the new Mbappe for us. He's a genius. I am very proud that he's French and he's winning, so he's making France shine all over the world.
BEARDSLEY: Leon fever is sweeping France right now.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Non-English language spoken).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Non-English language spoken).
BEARDSLEY: Antoine Mersche and Leontin Corneau can't get enough of him.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Leon Marchand.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: Exactly. You need to hear only two words - Leon Marchand. This guy, 48 hours ago, he was nobody. Then the Olympics happened in his home country, and he has been the only person to break two records on the same day.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Two golden. Two gold medals.
BEARDSLEY: All of France is discovering its new hero, who is said to be a shy boy from a close-knit family. Here is Marchand speaking after winning his first Olympic gold medal.
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LEON MARCHAND: Well, I had goosebumps on the podium. I felt really proud to be myself and to be also French tonight. So it was an amazing time for me.
BEARDSLEY: Both Marchand's parents were Olympic swimmers. He turned pro only this spring because he said he loved being a student on the swim team at Arizona State University, where he helped his school win its first NCAA title. Marchand began to attract world attention last summer, when he broke American swimming icon Michael Phelps' record in the 400-meter medley. He is trained by Bob Bowman, who was also Phelps's coach.
BOB BOWMAN: (Non-English language spoken).
BEARDSLEY: But Marchand is not just winning, says Vincent Bonifas, who's watching his race in a bar near the Arc de Triomphe. He's pulverizing his competition and propelling France to the top level of Olympic performance, along with big boys the U.S. and China. Bonifas says the French aren't used to that.
VINCENT BONIFAS: We have a cultural thing for magnificent losers, and we love the fourth place, for example. But with Leon Marchand, we have a beautiful winner. And we are not really used to that, so it's really new for us.
BEARDSLEY: He says these Olympics bring back the spirit and memories of 1998, when France won the World Cup, led by soccer legend Zinedine Zidane. Marchand is also bringing the French together after this summer's divisive and bruising parliamentary elections, says Marie Teuma.
MARIE TEUMA: All the country is - seems to be happy and focused on something really great, and it's like the return of the French glory. I'm really proud of being French these days since the opening ceremony, and Leon Marchand is the cherry on the cake.
BEARDSLEY: At just 22, Marchand has not even reached his full potential, say experts. He will likely be France's cherry on many more Olympic cakes to come. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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