French freestyle phenom Amaury Leveaux is the first swimmer to break 45 seconds in the 100m freestyle. Towering at 6 feet 8 ½ inches and decorated with tattoos all along his body, he aims to never just arrive at a swim competition. He looks to stand out.

Most recently, Leveaux took the 100m freestyle at the 2009 European Short Course Swimming Championships. With 41 counties represented at the meet, he held off some of the world’s fastest competitors by touching in 45.56. In addition, Leveaux helped propel France to a gold in the 4×50m freestyle relay.

The prior European Short Course Championships in 2008 set the stage for Leveaux’s historic 100m freestyle, where he won the event with a time of 44.94. His dominance did not end there, as the 23-year-old added three more world records to his list, shattering the 50-meter Butterfly (22.18), the 50-meter Freestyle (20.48), and the 4×50-meter Freestyle Relay (1:20.77).

Prior to setting numerous world records, Leveaux was already recognized as one of the fastest sprint freestylers in his event. The 2008 Beijing Olympics proved that. Selected to lead off on the French’s 400m freestyle relay in the finals and going 47.91, his teammates battled for the gold against the Americans. Although out-touched, the two relay teams provided arguably the most exciting race in the Olympic Games. Individually, Leveaux set an Olympic record in the preliminary heat of the 50m freestyle, and went on to secure a silver medal in the finals swimming a quick 21.45.

Despite his strong appearance in Beijing, Leaveaux has been seen as one of France’s stars for years.

Leveaux had his first big win at the 2004 French Championships in the 200m freestyle. He also took silver in the 100m freestyle. Receiving attention after his performances, he was seletected to join the French national swimming squad for the European Championships in Madrid, Spain. There, Leveaux broke his first French record in the 200m freestyle (1:48.80) and also aided in the French taking bronze in both the 400m and 800m freestyle relay.
Confidently wearing the French flag on his cap, Leveaux competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens as a part of the 400m and 800m freestyle relays. The relays failed to take home medals, yet had his first taste of the Olympic Games that would provide the experience for his 2008 appearance.

In the next two years, Leveaux went on to compete at the national and international level winning the 100m freestyle at the French nationals in 2006 and becoming the runner up that year in the same event at the European Championships.

Currently training in France, Leveaux continues to develop into a dominant and versatile force in the sprint freestyle events.