Litchfield into Final as Paris erupts for Marchand

Team GB's Max Litchfield qualified second fastest for Sunday night's 400m individual medley Olympic final in Paris.

The 29-year-old, who placed an agonising fourth at the past two Games, pursued home favourite Leon Marchand to finish second in their heat. 

The final starts at 19:30 BST on Sunday evening, before Britain's Adam Peaty goes for a third consecutive Olympic gold in the 100m breaststroke at 20:44.

The first appearance of 22-year-old Marchand at these Olympics created a raucous atmosphere at La Defense Arena.

The crowd chanted the French sensation's name and waved their tricolore flags as the poster boy of the Games, who is chasing four golds in the next eight days, won comfortably, with Litchfield 1.21 seconds adrift.

Marchand broke the world record in this event last year, in doing so taking the last remaining record held by American great Michael Phelps.

He is now coached in the US by Phelps' former mentor Bob Bowman, having sent a letter to the 59-year-old American prior to the last Olympics asking for help.

Litchfield missed the Commonwealth Games and World Championships in 2022 because of a still undisclosed "personal issue", but broke the British record at the Olympic trials in April.

"Marchand is a class apart," British Olympic swimmer Mark Foster told BBC TV.

"I would think he is going into that final tonight as clear favourite and I can't see anybody touching him."

Litchfield's swim capped a positive morning in the pool for Team GB with five other swimmers progressing in their respective events.

Matt Richards and Duncan Scott came through their heats to make Sunday night's men's 200m freestyle semi-finals.

Richards, the 2023 world champion in the event, was sixth fastest overall, while Tokyo silver medallist Scott was 11th.

Despite the slower times, Richards was content with his swim, with the pair having had a quick turnaround from Saturday's 4x100m freestyle relay final, where GB finished fifth.

"Last night was a late night so this morning was about getting in, getting the job done and conserving as much energy as possible," said the 21-year-old. "I am very happy with that swim."

Elsewhere, Ollie Morgan was 11th fastest and Jonny Marshall 16th as they made it through to the men's 100m backstroke semi-finals, which are also later on Sunday.

The women's 100m breaststroke semi-finals will also have British interest after Angharad Evans, 21, came through 12th fastest.

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