PARIS 2026 Day 1 REVIEW | Leon Marchand goes sub 1:44!

The 2026 European Championships have officially kicked off, and Day 1 absolutely delivered. Scott and Dan of the Propulsion Swimming Podcast break down an action-packed opening night that saw Team GB take home double gold in the 4x200m Freestyle Relays!

But the biggest talking point of the night? Leon Marchand. Despite nursing an injury, the French superstar dropped a mind-boggling 1:43.76 split on the 4x200m Free Relay, sending shockwaves through the swimming world.

We also break down Max Litchfield's gritty Bronze in the 400m IM, Egor Kornev dropping a massive 22.36 in the 50m Fly semi-finals, and Katie Shanahan looking like the absolute favorite in the 200m Backstroke. Plus, we analyze Adam Ramsey-Peaty and Philip Nowacki's form as they navigate an incredibly deep 100m Breaststroke field.

00:00 - Intro & Leon Marchand's Ridiculous 1:43.76 Relay Split
02:22 - Men's 400m IM Final: Borodin Wins, Max Litchfield Takes Bronze
05:44 - Women's 4x200m Free Relay: Team GB's Professional Gold
09:43 - Men's 4x200m Free Relay: GB Holds Off Marchand & Team France
14:15 - Men's 50m Fly Semis: Egor Kornev Drops a 22.36!
17:25 - Women's 100m Free Semis: Marrit Steenbergen Cruises
20:15 - Women's 200m Back Semis: Katie Shanahan Looks Unstoppable
24:04 - Men's 100m Breast Semis: Peaty Bounces Back in a Deep Field
31:09 - Q&A: Matt Richards' Form & Thoughts on TV Production Quality
34:58 - Outro & See You Tomorrow for Day 2!