“Didn’t Need a Medal”: Leon Marchand Makes Surprising Confession Amidst Chase for Michael Phelps’s Records

It is no news that Leon Marchand went from a promising talent at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to having the greatest Olympic run in Paris. However, in Paris, he did not just make history. He also made peace with himself. The real magic of Leon’s story is not in his strokes or speed. But in his transformation itself. Leon Marchand’s story is built on exploring the unexplored corners of growth. And above all, growing into understanding the value of authenticity. So, how exactly did this journey happen?

Let’s go back in time to the season of upheavals, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was in 2020 that Marchand made his Olympic debut. But unfortunately, the boy who came with big dreams left with a broken heart. Marchand had qualified for the 400m individual medley, clocking a French record time of 4:09.65. However, this speed wasn’t enough to take down the best of the best in the Olympic pools. On the day of the finals, he finished sixth. 4:11.16. That wasn’t the only disappointment that season!

Leon Marchand also swam the 4×100 meter medley relay. The team went on to finish tenth. Marchand also tried his hand at the 200-meter butterfly, where he finished 14th, and the 200-meter individual medley, where he finished 18th. “I think that when I arrived at the Olympic Games. I was a different person from 3 to 4 years before,” said Marchand, reminiscing the same. “At the time, I had a bit of the impression that I wanted to be someone else.” Despite the want to be somebody else, Marchand did not dwell on his losses for long.

Instead, Leon took a step back to evaluate what went wrong. And boy-oh-boy, has it been a tedious process won only with patience. “It takes time. Besides, it’s not like that, and people have more trouble doing it than others. I worked a lot with my mental coach since COVID-19,” added Marchand. It has been over a couple of years since Leon began working with Thomas Sammut. So, where does he stand now in terms of mental fortitude?

As Marchand himself puts it, “I feel better about myself. I want to make my own way, to be my Leon, to be me. So, it’s a little different.” It has made some difference because the man who left the Tokyo pools was not the man that the world saw at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Leon Marchand went on to win four gold medals. And in the 400m individual medley, he had the sweetest redemption of all.

Leon went on to win Gold, clocking 4:02.95. And how did he do it? “You have to love yourself to win,” said Marchand. “I managed to build what I wanted to build, and I loved myself deeply, so I think I had already won. I didn’t need to medal for that.” However, the process of getting to the point of true authenticity and confidence wasn’t easy. It was a leap of faith toward self-exploration.

A leap that worked wonders. And for Marchand, the exploration of self was just as fun as the medals he stacked. His process? “What I have been doing—going to the United States for three years to discover things. I had to speak other languages, to meet other people, to take paths perhaps a little off track, not necessarily the most suitable basic ones, to have my own rules and enjoy it,” he added.  Marchand did not just make his own rules; he now stands in an unbeatable league of his own making.

Time has passed since the Olympics, but Leon Marchand seems just as determined to win again after breaking Micheal Phelps‘ 400m Olympic medley record from 2008. After breaking another Olympic record for the 200-meter butterfly, Marchand is off on his next record-breaking mission.  His next stop? The 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.

After a break, Leon Marchand is once again ready to win!

After the pressures of Paris, Marchand took some time off from the pool. But don’t be fooled for a second that he was simply lounging! He was taking the much-needed break to return and take down another set of swimmers. In a couple of weeks, Marchand will be seen back in action at the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup. Marchand will be seen in a lineup of events happening across Shanghai, Incheon, and Singapore.

In true Marchand style, he is also challenging himself this time. He will also compete in the 25-meter course. The last time that Leon Marchand was at the Aquatics Championships in 2023, he casually went on to break Micheal Phelps’ world record in 200m. It wouldn’t be surprising if Marchand went on to make a few more records this World Cup. Healing, working, and bettering himself, Leon Marchand will return soon. And the world is watching with more anticipation than ever.