What it feels like to compete with a breakout talent whose Olympic medals go to France, for gold or silver to go to the Olympics

After settling for bronze in the 400-meter freestyle final on the the first day of competition, Ledecky will be back in the pool Wednesday night chasing gold in her signature event: the 1500-meter freestyle final.

Asked about how it feels to train a breakout talent whose Olympic medals go to France, Bowman shrugged and said, “I’m still red, white and blue in my heart.”

“I rank him at the top right now,” Bowman said of Marchand, speaking this week in Paris. He has the speed and the endurance. He’s not good enough to reach his potential.

Marchand is from France and competed for Arizona State University. He now trains with legendary American swimming coach Bob Bowman, the man who once trained Michael Phelps.

The most exciting new prospects in the sport are no longer from the U.S.

Halfway through Olympic swimming competitions, the Americans are struggling, with star athletes often settling for silver or bronze — or missing out on medals altogether.

Finke came into the Paris Olympics the defending gold medal winner in the men’s 800 meter freestyle, after a breakout performance three years ago at the Tokyo Games.

Leon Marchand has been a huge star of the Olympics. He turned in a performance in the 400 meter individual medley final so dominant, he seemed to be swimming in a different pool. Foster took a bronze.

Canadian Summer McIntosh is talked about by other swimmers with awe. She won the gold medal for the 400-meter women’s individual medley by more than five seconds. American Emma Weyant took bronze and silver.

Australian Ariarne Titmus has established herself as a force of nature, holding the world record in the 400-meter freestyle and winning gold in the final in Paris. The American took home a bronze medal.

The Americans brought home only a single gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Thursday as young athletes from Australia and Canada sprinted to victories in key races.

Swimming at the aquatic center: how the US swimmers affected by drug tests after winning gold in the women’s 100 meter butterfly breaststroke

Athletes don’t always have off days. The difference between a trip to the medal podium and a slow walk back to the locker room is often measured in hundredths of a second.

NANTERRE, France — When American swimmer Lilly King easily won a preliminary heat of the women’s 100 meter breaststroke at the aquatic center here, she appeared ready to capture another Olympic gold medal in the event.

The Chinese athletes who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs shared a bronze medal with them in the women’s freestyle relay final.

Asked about the controversy during press conferences after their races, Chinese swimmers denied wrongdoing and said they were being singled out for scrutiny unfairly.

The scandal that now includes a criminal investigation was caused by the World Anti-Doping Agency admitting to keeping the results of positive drug tests secret.

The most incredible moment was at the end, when the Australians overtook the US in the 4-by-200 meter relay.

“We’re proud of ourselves and proud of what we’ve done,” said Douglass after her gold-medal winning race. “We don’t listen to all the outside noise, we kind of stick together.”

The US swimmers came back from the national trials confident after posting new records and blazing fast times.