The French mixed 4x100m medley relay team captured the European Championship title on Tuesday, securing the delegation’s first gold medal of the meet at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis with a winning time of 3 minutes and 39.64 seconds.
Swimming in front of a home crowd in the French capital, the quartet consisting of backstroker Mary-Ambre Molluh, breaststroker Carla Aitkaci, butterfly specialist Maxime Grousset, and freestyler Marie Wattel delivered a dominant performance in the grand pool. According to reports from regional sports coverage, the French squad touched ahead of the Netherlands and the neutral athlete delegation competing under a neutral banner.
Building a Championship Squad
The gold-medal performance on Tuesday night capped a successful morning and evening session for the French swimming team at the home European Championships. To reach the top of the podium in the mixed medley relay, the coaching staff deployed world champion Maxime Grousset for the butterfly leg during the evening final.
Grousset’s inclusion in the final came after a strong qualification effort earlier in the day. According to regional sports reporting from Le Télégramme, CN Brest swimmer Amaury Albar—who is originally from La Forest-Landerneau and started his career with Dauphins de l’Elorn—swam the butterfly leg in the morning heats to secure the relay’s spot in the final before making way for Grousset.
A Strong Start to the European Championships
Tuesday’s victory marked the fourth overall medal for the French delegation at the home European championships. The success in the relay followed a busy day of podium finishes for French swimmers in Saint-Denis.
Earlier in the competition, Pauline Mahieu claimed the bronze medal in the women’s 200m backstroke. Shortly after, Maxime Grousset earned a silver medal in the men’s 50m butterfly. These performances built momentum following the opening days of competition, which included a silver medal in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay powered by Léon Marchand.
Next Steps in Saint-Denis
Competition at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis continues through the week as swimmers target remaining continental titles and additional podium finishes. Spectators and fans can follow official results and session schedules through European Aquatics and French Swimming Federation updates.
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