Paris roared as Britain opened the European swimming championships with a golden double, sweeping both 4x200m freestyle relays on Monday. The host nation's Leon Marchand, still nursing a thigh injury, settled for silver in the men's event, while Russia's Ilia Borodin claimed individual glory earlier in the day. Main Developments Britain's women crushed the field in 7min 45.93sec, missing the continental record by a whisker. Freya Colbert, Abbie Wood, Leah Schlosshan, and Freya Anderson combined for a dominant performance that left Hungary (7:49.09) and Russia—competing under a neutral flag (7:49.13)—to scrap for silver and bronze. Germany finished a heartbreaking hundredth of a second off the podium. In the men's relay, Matthew Richards, Jack McMillan, James Guy, and Duncan Scott delivered gold in 7:01.52. France, powered by the home crowd and the four-time Olympic champion Marchand, took silver in 7:02.23, with Germany claiming bronze in 7:02.28. Read also: Trump Defends Infantino Amid FIFA Leadership Crisis Background The opening-day drama unfolded against a backdrop of Marchand's recovery from a lingering thigh injury that severely hampers his breaststroke. The world record holder in the 400m individual medley (4:02.50) skipped that event, leaving Russia's Ilia Borodin—a junior rival of Marchand—to take gold in 4:08.17. Italy's Alberto Razzetti (4:10.40) and Britain's Max Litchfield (4:11.58) completed the podium. Borodin, 23, competed as a neutral athlete due to the invasion of Ukraine, adding a layer of political tension to his victory. He had previously won bronze at the world championships in Singapore last year. Why It Matters Marchand's silver marks a reassuring return to form after injury, but his decision to cut back on events underscores the severity of his condition. For Britain, the double relay sweep signals depth and momentum ahead of the rest of the championships. For Russia's neutrals, Borodin's win demonstrates that athletes can still shine despite geopolitical isolation. What's Next Marchand remains entered in the 200m butterfly, 400m freestyle, and both French relay teams, leaving fans to wonder if his thigh can hold up. The championships continue through the week, with more medals on the line and the question of whether Britain can sustain its early dominance.