Two stops down, one more to go for Leon Marchand. The World Cup series, after writing history in Shanghai and Incheon, has now moved to its last and final leg. The final leg is set to happen in Singapore. But before that, let’s take a look at how the golden boy of the Paris Olympics did in the two stops. At the Shanghai stop, Leon went on to win in three races, i.e., 400 IM, 200 IM, and 100 IM.

Coming to the Incheon stop, Marchand kept his performance going yet again, winning in the same three races. The 400m individual medley win in Incheon was also a new French record! Marchand went on to clock 3:58.30. With these wins, Marchand now stands at #11 in the list of all-time best 400m IM. But of course, the 11th place doesn’t satisfy the man who won four Olympic golds. And he just might be able to do something great as the competitions move to Singapore.

Leon Marchand has the rare opportunity to wear the crown!

As the Singapore races begin, this presents an opportunity unlike before for Leon Marchand. Now, winning three golds across three events is no easy achievement. But because Marchand did the same, he now stands at the doors of history. Marchand stands a chance at the ever-so-glorious Triple Crown. The Triple Crown is one of the biggest achievements within the World Cup series.

Only a swimmer who has won the same races in all three stops can be eligible for the crown. If Marchand manages to get one more win in Singapore, in either 100 IM, 200 IM, or 400 IM, he will be racing for the crown. While the crown in itself is prestigious, it also comes with an additional $10,000 for each triple crown. It was only last year that 20 swimmers went on to win the crown. It would be rather sad if Marchand wins three Olympic golds and does not win the crown!

Unfortunately, even that remains a possibility since Marchand will be facing Noe Ponti and Duncan Scott in Singapore. While Marchand is in the clear for 200 IM and 400 IM, the 100 IM is not going to be easy. In Shanghai itself, Marchand did not have a clear-cut win in the 100 IM. In fact, he tied with Noe Ponti. That is the hot seat that the final leg in Singapore sits on.

The competition ahead is the toughest battle yet!

The road to a Triple Crown is anything but smooth, and Marchand knows it. While he still leads in the overall rankings, Incheon tested Marchand’s limits. So much so that even the fandom called him out on it; it wasn’t long after that that Marchand went on to make an honest confession. He said, “I took a long time off from swimming after the Olympics, probably about six weeks. I am not really fit, I would say, but I feel fine in the water. I was able to race those guys to the wall, so I am doing well.” A tired Marchand is still a threat to competitors, but Noe Ponti might just have an advantage.

Noe Ponti has perhaps had the best season of them all. He even made the 50-meter butterfly world record. This also made him the first Swiss swimmer to hold a world record in nearly 40 years. Ponti is truly in his peak form. This means that any slip-up from Marchand can cause him the 100 IM crown. Marchand’s rivals aren’t his only challenge. While Leon Marchand’s honesty about being tired is appreciated, the major difference that this world has from 2023 is the missing Bob Bowman element.

As the World Cup moves to Singapore, all eyes are on Leon Marchand. Can the French Golden Boy beat fatigue? Or will we miss out on the Triple Crown?