Léon Marchand emerged as a swimming prodigy of the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he grabbed 4 gold medals, which is even more than 184 countries combined at the Olympics. The 22-year-old French swimmer achieved the remarkable feat and became the sixth swimmer in the Olympics to grab to win four individual gold medals at a single Games. The events were 200 metre breaststroke, 200 metre medley, 200-metre butterfly and 400-metre medley.
Marchand’s achievement puts him in the company of other swimmers such as Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps, who have also been awarded multiple golds in a given Olympics. This has created a lot of enthusiasm and pride in the nation, where fans sing La Marseillaise (The national anthem of France) after every victory of his.
Marchand became an icon for the domestic fans in the arena, and fans loved watching him. His last event was the 200 metres individual medley, which was most spectacular; he was winning the race and upon crossing the finishing line, he held up four fingers indicating that he had made history. “The crowd was roaring” he said, emphasizing the electric atmosphere at the La Défense arena.
He currently practices in the United States under the guidance of Bob Bowman, who has also been the coach of Michael Phelps, who is the 23-time Olympics gold medallist. According to Bowman, Marchand has a lot of talent and a smart mind. He said, “He has several things that make him a great, he has speed, and he has endurance. So he kind of has the whole package that you want, and so far he’s done well under pressure, which is the other piece of that equation. He has it all, really.”
As Marchand looks to the next competitions, individual, and a team relay, his progression, has not only boosted his profile but also encouraged a generation of young athletes in France. His performance in the Paris Games has placed him on the map, and he is now a swimmer that every one in France knows.
