France’s Léon Marchand claims his crown as the next big thing in Olympic swimming
NANTERRE, France – Léon Marchand’s coronation couldn’t have been more perfectly staged.
Throughout the past week, in front of a fervent and sometimes tumultuous home crowd in Paris, the 22-year-old Frenchman with his distinctive blond hair has emerged as the next major name in Olympic swimming.
Prior to these Summer Games, Marchand had never secured a gold medal. Now, he has claimed four individual gold medals in one Olympics, joining a distinguished group that historically included only Americans Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps.
With each triumph this week, including his latest on Friday night where he celebrated by holding up four fingers, Marchand shattered Olympic records.
“It was crazy,” Marchand said of his final individual performance in the men’s 200 meter individual medley final at La Defense arena in a Paris suburb. “Once again, the crowd was cheering. It was my last individual race [of these Games] so I told myself I had to really enjoy it.”
Describing the public’s reaction merely as cheering does not fully capture the cultural phenomenon Marchand has ignited. While some French citizens remain ambivalent about hosting the Olympics in Paris, Marchand’s presence can be felt everywhere in the city. Taxi drivers mention him, teenagers are infatuated with him, and in restaurants, all eyes turn to televisions whenever he races to claim another victory.
The swimming venue has been filled with Marchand fans. Following each of his wins, thousands joined in rousing renditions of La Marseillaise, France’s national anthem.
Marchand is expected to compete again on Sunday in a team relay final, where another gold medal is a strong possibility.
An interesting aspect of Marchand’s rise as a national icon is that his development has been significantly influenced by America’s dominant swimming system. He spends most of the year in the U.S. and competed in the NCAA system for Arizona State University until recently.
After her race on Friday, U.S. swimmer Regan Smith, who frequently trains alongside Marchand, expressed admiration for his abilities.
“I’ve had the opportunity to share a lane with him in practice for the better part of two years,” said Smith. “I’ve seen what he’s able to do every day in practice. He obviously has physical talent, but what sets him apart is his mental strength. He has this unique quality, this Je ne sais quoi. He knows how to achieve his goals.”
Marchand is coached by Bob Bowman, the legendary American trainer who helped develop Michael Phelps’ talent. This week, Bowman told reporters that Marchand has emerged in Paris as one of the all-time greats.
“I rank him at the top right now,” Bowman said. “He’s got the speed and the endurance. He’s not even reached his full potential.”
Asked how it feels to train a breakout star whose medals benefit France, Bowman shrugged and said, “I’m still red, white, and blue in my heart.”
After his win on Friday, Marchand said he intends to continue working with Bowman as he prepares for the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“We’ve shared amazing moments here. We’ve worked really hard over the last three years. I don’t know how to approach the next phase of my career, but I think Bob will really help me with that since he knows so much.”
When asked about being compared to Michael Phelps, who won a total of 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold, Marchand called it an honor. “Of course, he is a legend of the swimming world – and he always will be.”