Have you been able to get the chants of ‘Allez Léon’ out of your heads? We can’t either! The 2024 Paris Olympics gave us several magical moments, but nothing could beat the thunderous cheers every time Léon Marchand emerged victorious in his events. In fact, even the swimming legend Michael Phelps was on his side. With 5 Olympic medals and 4 incredible world records, France’s ‘Golden Boy’ couldn’t have asked for a better stint at the Paris La Défense Arena. 

But after pulling off such a spectacular feat, the swimmer took 6 weeks off to recuperate. Now that he’s back, the Olympian is more eager than ever to dive right into training. Even though he did the unthinkable in the French capital, his coach, Bob Bowman, believes there’s room for improvement. In a conversation with Swimming World, the coach reiterated, “I don’t think he’s anything near what he’s capable of doing.” This comes as a surprise after the 22-year-old’s second Olympic berth. 

However, Bowman has seen this success with his former mentee, ‘the Flying Fish’. Phelps debuted at the 2000 Sydney Olympics at 15, making him the youngest man on the team in 68 years. While we’re used to his absolute dominance now, the G.O.A.T. couldn’t muster up a podium finish. But he made up for it with 8 Olympic medals in the 2004 Athens Summer Games – 6 gold and 2 bronze. 4 years later in Beijing, Phelps snagged a gold in every event he entered, leaving with 8 Olympic golds, leaving Mark Spitz out of his way.

On the other hand, Léon Marchand entered 5 events but only won gold in 4 of them. Bowman added, “I think there are definitely things that he can change and continue to develop over time and in the next four years.” Paris was the Frenchman’s first Olympic stint with the iconic coach. Given Bowman’s history, he seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to mentoring successful swimmers. “I think there’s plenty of room for him to go fast,” the coach concluded. 

But Bowman has never shied away from singing the 22-year-old’s praises. After witnessing his mentee’s prowess in Paris, he was reminded of Phelps. “It’s kind of proven that Leon joins Michael in that very rare club of people who, when the pressure is higher, they perform better.” In fact, when the 22-year-old snagged his first Olympic gold with 4:02:95 in the 400m IM, the coach was over the moon. He didn’t hesitate to declare, “He’s the best in this event in history.” But this isn’t the only time the Frenchman has reminded him of the G.O.A.T.

In 2023, Léon Marchand’s stellar 3:31:84 set a new NCAA record in the men’s 400 IM. Bowman recalled how the swimmer is similar to the 23x Olympic gold medalist in 2003. The Frenchman’s fitness levels are unmatched. This, combined with intense training, leads to him producing incredibly fast times. Even though the swimmers are unique in several aspects, the coach believes that “both have a work ethic second to none.” However, the 22-year-old has a long way to go, so what’s next for him? 

With the Michael Phelps connection, Léon Marchand is eager to carve his path

The swimmer might not have racked up as many medals as the most decorated Olympian of all time. But with Phelps’ former coach, the Frenchman has definitely proved his mettle. However, France’s Poster Boy was due for a long break, and he took advantage of that time off. “I tried to enjoy it. I also took some time alone where I was able to reflect and think about what I had done.” Pulling off what he did at the French capital is not for the faint of heart. 

But Léon Marchand will now get back to his high-intensity training. Only this time, it won’t be with Bob Bowman. The swimmer will train with his mentor during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, Nicolas Castel. While his long-time coach prepares to step into the Texas Longhorn’s Director of Swimming role, Castel will hone the Frenchman’s skills for the World Cup stops in Asia and the World Short Course Championships in Budapest. 

However, the 22-year-old’s stellar performance has added another feather to Bob Bowman’s already decorated hat. In Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Powerlist, Bob Bowman has found a spot under the Icons and Leaders category. What is the powerlist, you ask? Since 2023, SI has been featuring the 50 most influential figures in sports, and while the Frenchman didn’t make it to the list, his long-time coach did. Even though the coach has never been featured, this kind of glory was seldom new for the Texas Longhorns head coach.

Pat Forde wrote a fitting excerpt for Bowman. “If the United Nations of Bowman had been its own entry in Paris, its seven golds, three silvers, and one bronze would have been third in the swimming medal table, behind only the U.S. and Australia.” We’ve already seen this with Michael Phelps and his current mentee. Will the iconic coach lead Léon Marchand down an equally decorated path? Only time will tell.