Leaving Father for Bob Bowman, Leon Marchand Makes Massive Admission: “I Became a Human”

Since the beginning of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Leon Marchand has taken the spotlight, igniting “Marchand-mania” with his outstanding performances. In his second Olympic Games, he has shattered records, setting new Olympic bests in the men’s 200m breaststroke, 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, and 400m individual medley, breaking the previous records held by Zac Stubblety-Cook, Kristof Milak, and Michael Phelps. Remarkably, he is the first male swimmer since Phelps to secure four gold medals in a single Olympics!

In every event he’s entered, Léon Marchand has shattered Olympic records, bagging a total of five medals—four golds and a bronze in the men’s 4x100m medley relay. This incredible success can largely be credited to his coach, Bob Bowman, whose expert guidance has been key in Marchand’s rise. But it wasn’t easy.

To train under Bowman, Marchand made the tough call to leave his home country of France and his family behind, including his dad, Xavier Marchand, a two-time French Olympic swimmer. In an interview on the YouTube channel Quotidien, Léon opened up about the emotional challenges of that transition, revealing just how tough it was to take that leap of faith.

Leon Marchand’s path to becoming a swimming star was shaped by his choice to undergo training in the United States out of a thirst for adventures and chances, for growth. He remembers how his father motivated him to embrace this opportunity as a way to expand his horizons by acquiring a language and engaging in a cultural experience. Motivated by the potential for growth, Marchand began reaching out to various universities in the U.S. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic complicated matters, as travel restrictions meant he couldn’t visit potential training environments.

To mitigate the risks of the unknown, Marchand sought the guidance of Bob Bowman, renowned as Michael Phelps’ coach. This connection provided him with a sense of familiarity and security during a challenging time. Before making the move, Marchand faced personal struggles, including what he describes as a difficult period leading up to the pandemic. He admits that he was dealing with feelings of burnout, where the joy of training had faded. He felt immense pressure to achieve results and struggled to find satisfaction in his routine. The pressure of meeting others’ expectations fueled a feeling of unease that dimmed his love for the game.

Eventually, he realized he needed a change, and the confinement during the pandemic offered him a unique opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with himself and his family. As he put it, “I became a human again. In fact, I was with my family,” highlighting the importance of that time spent together. During this period of introspection, Marchand rediscovered his love for swimming and life. He spent quality time with his family, including his younger brother, and even revisited activities he enjoyed as a child, like playing video games.

This break allowed him to work on his mental resilience, which he approached with the help of a mental coach. By reading his coach’s book and focusing on mental training, Marchand began to transform his mindset, preparing him not only for the physical demands of swimming but also for the emotional challenges that accompany high-level competition. Bob Bowman might have dismissed a random email that landed in his inbox four years ago if the sender’s name hadn’t sparked his curiosity.

Leon Marchand’s journey from setbacks to success

Upon seeing the name Leon Marchand in the email, Bowman recalled Leon Marchand’s father, Xavier Marchand. Intrigued, Bowman decided to dig deeper into this young swimmer’s background. “So then he basically said, ‘Do you think maybe you’d be interested in having me on your team?’” Bowman recounted. After reviewing Marchand’s impressive times, he eagerly welcomed him to the team. Under Bowman’s guidance, Marchand went on to achieve remarkable success, capturing 10 NCAA titles at ASU and becoming a standout swimmer to represent France at the Paris Olympics. Yet, despite Léon Marchand’s current success, his journey hasn’t been a walk in the park.

When the International Olympic Committee announced Paris as the host city for the 2024 Olympics, he didn’t think much of it—he believed he was nowhere near Olympic-caliber talent at the time. Fast forward to today, and it’s clear that he’s come a long way since then! However, as Marchand honed his skills and racked up titles, he began to envision a path to Olympic glory.

Reflecting on his transformation, Marchand acknowledged, “I grew up a lot… Definitely, I got really excited every year more about it.” Marchand faces increased expectations, as an athlete representing France. He has dedicated his efforts to enhancing his mental strategy in swimming. He has put in work to handle anxiety and direct his enthusiasm towards achieving success in the days.