Leon Marchand’s journey to swimming greatness hasn’t been just about medals. It is a unique mixture of talent and what seems like magic. It almost feels like watching a dolphin in its natural habitat. Some of this comfort comes from a lineage of swimming greatness. Both of his parents, Xavier Marchand and Céline Bonnet, were medley swimmers. Céline is a three-time Olympic medalist, while Xavier has been a part of both the 1996 and 200 Olympics. Having Olympians for parents, it is no wonder that Marchand started swimming early on.

“I started swimming when I was 6 or 7,” reminisces Marchand. “My parents were no strangers to the pool. They were both Olympians. So, it was pretty easy for me to get started.” However, Marchand’s early beginnings are not the only reason for his affinity for water! “There’s a silence that I love, a unique gliding sensation, and I think my body is made for that because I have much less resistance than the others,” he added, hinting that his parents just might have gifted him more than just passion for the sport.

They also bestowed upon Marchand the gift of a unique physique! This isn’t just any physique; it’s a swimmer’s dream. Leon Marchand has a slim, streamlined build with a height of 1.87 m and a weight of 76 kg. His body helps him in reducing drag and allows him to glide effortlessly, something he modestly attributes to genetics. “I glide better than the others. How is it possible? No idea. I guess I should thank my mum and dad for this body, which isn’t really a sprinter’s body.”

Marchand’s physiology isn’t about raw power but also this uncanny efficiency in the water. “I feel good under the water because that’s where you go fastest. It comes naturally to me,” he added. It has to be coming “naturally,” considering Leon won four gold medals and broke four Olympic records at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His Olympic wins kicked off comparisons between him and swimming legends.

Yet Leon Marchand manages to stand apart. “It isn’t at all about having big muscles. I have a slim profile in the water,” Marchand added. The world witnessed the same at the 400m individual medley final. He spent about 100 meters underwater and surfaced with a lead that none of his competitors could match. “I remember tests we did where they pulled us with a rope for 50m underwater, and I had to keep still. I was one of the fastest without even doing anything,” he said, recalling.

Marchand, however, went on to acknowledge that “it was all down to my body being streamlined under the water. So that’s pretty cool. It’s not bad to have no resistance.” Marchand’s effortless gliding through the water, akin to a fish in its natural habitat, defies the very concept of resistance. But the fact is…

Resistance got nothing on Leon Marchand!

It is clear that Leon Marchand’s dominance is not just about speed but also about how he uses his physique to his advantage. Marchand, unlike many of his rivals, doesn’t rely on just muscle mass or towering height. At 1.87 meters and 76 kilograms, Marchand is relatively smaller compared to legends like Michael Phelps, who is 193 centimeters tall and weighs 84 kilograms. But what Marchand misses in height, he makes up for in his ability to glide with minimal resistance.

The 2024 Paris Olympics were a brilliant display of the same! During the men’s 400-meter individual medley, Marchand, after getting the head start, touched the wall at 4:02.95, setting a new Olympic record. Then came a night for the ages. Marchand went on to win 200m breaststroke and butterfly golds. He did not just win; he did both in Olympic record time. In the men’s 200m butterfly, Marchand clocked 1:51.21. A time that broke Kristof Milak’s record from the Tokyo Games!

Marchand did not stop there. Later, on the same night during the 200m backstroke finals, Marchand clocked 2:05.85. Last but not least, he topped it all off with a fourth gold medal in the men’s 200-meter individual medley. Adding another layer of intrigue to the whole streak of breaking records is the fact that he has done it all and is just 22! As Leon Marchand continues to break records and set new standards, the world eagerly awaits his next stroke.