2023-06-16 13:47:05
Léon Marchand, who will be at the Worlds in Fukuoka (Japan), from July 23 to 30, 2023, the high point of the season, shone during the French championships with 5 titles. But the French swimmer is above all scheduled to shine at Paris 2024, a major meeting in his young career.
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Two years from the Paris Olympics, French swimming had its eyes riveted on a 20-year-old kid, twice titled at the Budapest Worlds. In Hungary, Léon Marchand won the first world title of his career in the final of the 400m medley. ” I think now I can call myself a good swimmer “, had commented on the one who, by the way, had set six French records in eight races. He also won the 200m medley and won the silver medal in the 200m butterfly.
French swimming holds a new phenomenon
After his 6th place in the final of the 400m medley of the Tokyo Games in August 2021, and at only 19 years old, Léon Marchand had made the decision to leave Toulouse for Arizona and the city of Phoenix where he intended to continue his progress under the orders of Bob Bowman, former mentor of a certain Michael Phelps, American pool legend with his 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold. A paid choice.
With Léon Marchand, French swimming has a new phenomenon, announced as the star of the Paris 2024 Olympics. During the French championships from June 11 to 16, the young man aroused the admiration of the public, but also of other swimmers who hope to take advantage of its wave a year from the Olympics at home. ” He pulls us upt”, appreciates Damien Joly, long distance specialist.
Asked before the start of the competition, Florent Manaudou, captain of the Blues, expected his side ” to see an exceptional swimmer swim ». « He took meat, it’s cool “, he smiled, evoking the physical transformation of the French since he trains in the United States. Marchand won five French championship titles in 2023: 200m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m medley and 400m medley.
The Marchand clan hopes in any case that the Léon effect can give new impetus to the French relay, which has been struggling for a few years. ” We want him to do (the 4x200m relay),” said Bob Bowman, who has been coaching the Frenchman for two years now. ” We want him to swim races where he can win medals and that’s good luck for France. The others have to speed up a bit, but they will, and then they will all be faster », promises the coach American.
It must be said that in the Marchand family, sport goes beyond passion, it is a religion. Her parents are former Olympic swimmers. The father, Xavier Marchand, was vice-world champion in the 400m medley in 1998, and his mother, Céline Bonnet, multiple French champion and participant in the 1992 Olympic Games (not forgetting also his uncle Christophe Marchand, who took part in the 1988 and 1992 Games).
« On is all concerned, even his little brother, Oscar »
« With mine, we love it. We look at the records, it’s in the family “, he assured in the columns of Release. « We absorb everything that happens, we talk about it, continues Céline Bonnet, her mother, who became a flight attendant. We know his competitors for Paris, we are all concerned, even his little brother, Oscar ».
His parents, who had an American experience at the end of his career, in Alabama, encouraged him to pack his bags and live his dreams. “ I escaped a bit, I had to learn to live on my own. Over there, people believe in their dreams, we have the right to say “I want to be world champion”. Here we will think : “He is a bit pretentious when he finished 6th [aux JO de Tokyo en 2021, ndlr].” In the United States, Athletes Say It Doesn’t Matter Even If They Fail confirms the prodigal son. Tall blond with blue eyes, Léon Marchand has everything to become the French swimmer who will mark the history of Paris 2024.
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