Léon Marchand bids for first European title, Paris, France; Milák absent boosts odds

European Aquatics Championships 2026: Léon Marchand ready for his first European title: “I hope it will be the same tomorrow”

Two years after his incredible Olympic 200m butterfly final at Paris 2024, Léon Marchand made a successful return to one of his favourite events. Winner of his semi-final in 1:53.95 on Friday (14 August), the Frenchman came through physically reassured and goes in as the overwhelming favourite for gold.

With the heatwave bearing down on Paris once again and temperatures nearing 40 degrees in the capital, the whirlwind that is Léon Marchand made his big return to the pool at the Centre Aquatique Olympique on Friday (14 August).

The sporting and media star of these European Aquatics Championships 2026 , Marchand was taking part in his first individual races of the competition, after helping France win 4x200 metres freestyle relay silver last Monday.

A comfortable winner of his 200m butterfly heat that morning in 1:55.90, the four-time Paris 2024 Olympic champion wanted to confirm he was building.

Done, and done easily, as he finished first in semi-final one on Friday evening in 1:53.95, ahead of Hungarians Richárd Márton (+0.52) and Hubert Kós (+1.18).

A time still a long way off his personal best of 1:51.21, but one he was happy with, as he confirmed after the race to the media present at the venue, including Olympics.com.

“Tonight was good, I enjoyed myself apart from the last 50m, where it really drops off. My hips were sinking and my head was coming up more than usual. I hope I’ll have a bit more energy to finish tomorrow night [Saturday]. I haven’t found my stroke again yet. I lacked relaxation. I went out faster than usual, I wanted to test myself in terms of the pain . And I’m going to try to do that in the final.”

“I wanted to do a very good first 150m to test the pain. I swam a good race. I wanted to go under 1:54. The last 50m, it drops off a bit, I’m a bit under the water in the final metres, I hope it will be better tomorrow night. I didn’t feel any pain in the adductor tonight, I hope it will be the same tomorrow night,” he told France Télévisions.

The 200m butterfly, with a hint of Paris 2024

That personal best, after all, was set during one of the biggest moments of Marchand’s career, in the middle of the famous evening of 31 July 2024, when he won two Olympic titles.

That day, in the Olympic 200m butterfly final, Marchand produced a fantastic comeback against Kristóf Milák inside a Paris La Défense Arena at boiling point. The gold medal, the personal and Olympic record, a breathtaking script… every ingredient was there for a race of legend.

Two years on, Marchand has the chance to win the first European title of his career, tomorrow at 6.30 p.m. CET, in a setting that promises to remind him of the sensations of his Olympic exploits.

A race in which he will be the overwhelming favourite, a status strengthened by his performance on the day and by the absence of Milák, who still holds the world record (1:50.34 in 2022).

As the sun slowly began to fade and the fierce heat eased, the Olympic rings at the Centre Aquatique Olympique were already promising to shine with a different brilliance on Saturday, 15 August.

The Marchand light is about to rise.

A certainty shared by his rivals, among them Kós, his training partner in Bob Bowman’s group, who told Olympics.com that the French champion “has something special in store for tomorrow, you’ll see”.

Men’s 200m Butterfly - Final | Swimming | Olympic Games Paris 2024

The Men’s 200m Butterfly was held on 31

2024 at Paris La Defense Arena. Leon Marchand (FRA) claimed Gold with a new Olympic Record time of 1:51:21, Kristof Milak (HUN) took Silver and Ilya Kharun (CAN) completed the podium.

Picture by Salomon Micko Benrimoh

31 July - 16 August

European Aquatics Championships | Paris | France