Léon Marchand at the Paris 2024 Olympics: five things to know about the French swimmer, new Olympic champion in the 400m medley

Léon Marchand arrive aux Jeux en tant que favori. XinHua – Zhang Xiaoyu

Une famille de nageurs et sa relation avec Michael Phelps… Découvrez cinq choses à savoir sur Léon Marchand, le prodige de la natation française, déjà champion olympique.

1- Une famille de nageurs

The Toulouse native, only 22 years old, is the heir to a long line of swimmers. Before him, his father Xavier, his mother Céline and his uncle Christophe were all exceptional champions selected for the Olympic Games.

The mother in 1992 in Barcelona (100 meters and 200 meters medley), the father in 1996 (Atlanta) and 2000 in Sydney (200 meters medley) and the uncle in 1988 (Seoul) and 1992 (400, 800 and 1500 meters).

2- He started swimming at 3 years old

Léon Marchand discovered swimming at the age of 3 in Toulouse, in the Alfred-Nakache pool of Toec, his club still today. A first dive that was not conclusive. “I was skinny and I was too cold in the water”, the person concerned often recalls. From 3 to 7 years old, he will therefore try judo and rugby. Without success, to the great delight of French swimming.

3- In the United States with Michael Phelps' former coach

Since 2022, Léon Marchand has been trained in the United States by Bob Bowman, the most famous coach in US swimming and former mentor of Michael Phelps. After two seasons swimming for Arizona State, Marchand will represent the University of Texas next year.

4 – He broke Phelps' record

On July 23, 2023, at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Marchand broke Michael Phelps' 400-meter medley world record. It was the oldest record (2008) still active.

5 – An already well-stocked list of achievements

The French swimmer is already world champion five times, once in the 200m butterfly, twice in the 200m medley, and twice in the 400m medley.