France Claims First Gold at 2026 European Swimming Championships in Mixed 4x100m Relay

On August 11, 2026, the French mixed 4x100m medley relay team triumphed with a gold medal victory at the European Swimming Championships held at the newly built Olympic Aquatic Center in Saint-Denis, Paris. This win marked France's first gold medal of the competition, a landmark moment celebrated amid cheers and the playing of the national anthem, La Marseillaise.

The French team, composed of Mary-Ambre Moluh, Carl Aitkaci, Maxime Grousset, and Marie Wattel, completed the relay in an impressive time of 3 minutes 39.64 seconds—a full second ahead of their nearest competitor, the Netherlands, who finished at 3:40.92. The neutral Russian team took third place with a time of 3:41.52.

Mary-Ambre Moluh started the race, competing against mainly male swimmers and initially putting France behind. However, Carl Aitkaci’s breaststroke leg and Maxime Grousset's outstanding butterfly leg turned the tide, propelling France into the lead. Grousset, who had earlier earned a silver medal in the 50m butterfly the same evening, was instrumental with a performance that boosted the team’s momentum and confidence. Marie Wattel anchored the team, successfully holding off a strong finish from Netherlands' Marrit Steenbergen, the 100m freestyle champion.

The victory on home soil at the state-of-the-art venue not only demonstrated France's depth in swimming talent but also set an inspiring tone for the rest of the championships and the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics for which the Aquatic Center is a key venue.