This is the story of a normal young boy. Léon Marchand does not have the personality of a superstar like Kylian Mbappé, even if he seems to have a great future. Aged 20, he juggles between sport, studies and passions. With the difference that the swimmer is one of the most anticipated French athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Just over a year from the big meeting, the blue swimming prodigy has become one of the figureheads of the ambitions of French sport. An unexpected new status in view of the late development of the young man.
A pure Toulouse native, little Léon has been immersed in swimming since a very young age. Son of Xavier Marchand, silver medalist at the World Championships in Perth in 1998, and Céline Bonnet, multiple French champion, he was quick to dive in chlorinated pools. “He started as soon as he was born,” laughs Michel Coloma, general manager of the Dauphins du TOEC, the Marchand family club. As soon as he was old enough to swim, he joined the club’s first group, aged 3. “Early beginnings which did not bode well for the professional future of the young sportsman.
“He started swimming because his parents did. He came from time to time, nothing more. Next, he had tried rugby, so we weren’t sure at all that he would continue swimming, recalls Nicolas Castel, his lifelong coach. Especially since at that age he showed no more predispositions than that. He was an ordinary little boy, except that he was the son of Xavier Marchand and Céline Bonnet. »
But the young shoot does not give up swimming. Smaller and more frail than his comrades, Marchand fights. Competitor at heart and motivated by the challenge, the Occitan has never given up. “He quickly had the desire to win, to perform, rewinds Castel. Even though he was smaller, he was trying to beat the bigger ones. For a long time, he didn’t wear a jumpsuit because there wasn’t one in his size. Although he swam well and tried to do his best, until the youngest (12-13 years old) he was average. He wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t very good. »
Very good, the specialist in medley events will eventually become one. Finally at physical maturity as he approached his 15th birthday, Léon Marchand worked and multiplied his training sessions. The young man joined the hope center in Toulouse. Ambitions change: from a simple hobby, swimming becomes a concrete goal. Carried by the example of his parents, the nugget makes every effort to succeed. Starting with unfailing professionalism. “It’s an appliqué,” Coloma says. From the moment he approaches the pool to the moment he comes out of it, he does everything right. All. It’s in his temperament, he sets goals and he keeps them. To get there, he knows that he must not deviate from the rule, he always does what is necessary to go to the end. He doesn’t pretend. »
Wise and hardworking, the teenager has always shown a remarkable state of mind. An exemplary mentality that immediately struck Nicolas Castel: “He was discreet, but that didn’t prevent him from integrating easily with his comrades. He was always accurate to what was asked. We offered him a series, he didn’t complain and did it as best he could, quickly and well. We can say that he very quickly became a hard worker. »
Between the student and his trainer, there has never been any friction on the line. Easy going, the swimmer has never changed, his simple personality being recognized by all. “He’s a deeply nice person,” says Michel Coloma. He is reserved, not at all big-headed. He remained himself. “Same story on the side of his coach:” He’s someone discreet, happy, who likes to make jokes, good humor. He manages to draw the positive from all situations. »
Slowed down in his progress by the Covid, the Garonnais was able to take advantage of this period of trouble by calling on Thomas Sammut, a mental trainer known in the middle of French swimming, to improve his approach to competition at a very high level.
I have qualified for my first Olympic final ?? Appointment: 10:30am ???? 3:30am ???? (for the motivated)
Between the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, the French hopeful validates his qualification for the Tokyo Games, at only 19 years old. A unique experience during which the French took part in a final, in his specialty of the 400m medley. Sixth at the finish, Marchand learns. “He comes to the Games and goes straight to the Olympic final. He is the youngest, the smallest, but he does not disassemble, he goes, recalls Nicolas Castel. The vagaries of the race mean that he doesn’t finish on the podium, but he plays the game, he keeps the right state of mind. It is also the result of the work done upstream with the mental trainer. »
But Léon Marchand sees bigger. And he has Paris 2024 in his sights. To give a new dimension to his career, the swimmer decided, at the age of 19, to leave the family cocoon. Direction the United States, and more precisely the State University of Arizona (ASU), to join the American university championship. “He really wanted to compete against the best nation in the world in terms of swimming,” confirms Castel. Competing against American swimmers at home has made him realize that not only is he up to speed, but he’s winning and he can be the best. He needed it to gain more self-confidence. »
Happy and fulfilled in America, the double world champion is not totally out of place. Attached to his roots and his South-West, Léon Marchand has never broken contact with the Pink City and its club Les Dauphins du TOEC. “He often comes back to train with us, as soon as he has the green light. There is always this link between him and his club, “says Michel Coloma proudly.
It was in Toulouse, in May, with his new trainer Bob Bowman – who took care of a certain Michael Phelps, just that! –, that Léon Marchand came to prepare for the French championships, organized this week in Rouen. A week full of success, with victories in all the events in which he entered: a title and a French record in the 200m breaststroke, then victories in the 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly and 200m medley. If he also won Thursday evening, during the 400m medley, he, on the other hand, appeared weakened, even to the point of withdrawing from the 100m butterfly which he was to run this Friday evening.
Crowned double world champion in Budapest in 2022, the prodigal son of French swimming has changed in dimension for a year. Much more in demand by fans, the media and partners for Paris 2024, Léon Marchand must manage his new popularity.
In his TOEC Dolphins club, the young man is a rock star. “Last year, we organized a competition for young people which brought together several French clubs, says Michel Coloma. There were a hundred children. One of them saw Leon arrive, and there was a riot. It was crazy. They were screaming in all directions. He took three quarters of an hour to get in the water, the children stopped him every two meters to take pictures. The kids were overjoyed. »
If Paris 2024 remains the swimmer’s ultimate goal, within the Marchand clan, we refuse to project ourselves too much. “We each have it in the back of our minds, but it’s not something we verbalized, we don’t want to put extra pressure on ourselves. Leon just has to continue to have fun and progress. The consequences of an Olympic champion title, it is better not to think about it before. » A capital event that Léon Marchand approaches in his image, all in simplicity and full of humility.