The swimming world witnessed the magic of Léon Marchand at the París La Défense Arena. Amidst cheers of “Allez Léon,” the 22-year-old bagged 5 Olympic medals and set 4 new Olympic records. After a disappointing show at his debut in Tokyo, the swimmer redeemed himself in the French capital in front of his countrymen and women. Watching the wunderkind dominate the Olympic pool, it almost feels like he is a natural.

So, what is his secret sauce to success? In a conversation on Clique TV’s Léon Marchand : le grand débrief des JO – CANAL+, the interviewer asks the Olympian to elaborate on what helps him in the pool. “I am not the most muscular nor the most powerful, but on the other hand, I am super thin in the water. So, that allows me to profile myself in the sinking. So there you go; it’s genetic,” he confessed. He was then asked if that gave him an advantage.

Léon Marchand continued, “I don’t think that makes me good in the water. In any case, I feel good. Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Mom.” His parents, Xavier Marchand and Céline Bonnet, were Olympians as well. “I don’t know what happened, but when I’m underwater, I have very little resistance compared to other swimmers,” he added. The 22-year-old elaborated on how, after a few scientific tests, he found out that in the 50m underwater, he was faster than the others without doing much. “My body is made to have a good glide, very resistance,” he confessed. 

While it is genetic, the Olympian reiterated that for him, it is essential to assess his qualities and faults and work on them. “For example, I’m not going to do 25m faster than a guy who does weight training every day, etc. On the other hand, I am capable of doing longer runs, spending less energy, being able to regenerate as the race progresses, being more relaxed in some parts of the race.” However, he believes that even if genetics played a part, technique and hard work are essential too. 

28x Olympic medalist Michael Phelps was also known to be genetically gifted. Standing tall at 6’4″, he successfully swam to the top of the podium at the Summer Games. His longer torso, shorter legs, and a wingspan longer than his height helped him propel more power. His larger palms and feet assisted him in swimming faster, with less resistance from his legs. Additionally, the Baltimore Bullet’s body produces half the amount of lactic acid as an average human.

Not only does this help the Flyish Fish stay active for longer periods, but it also gives him more endurance when he swims longer distances. In fact, his lung capacity is a lot higher than other athletes. He reportedly has a capacity of around 12 liters, while the average human has about 6 liters. What does that do? With a higher supply of oxygen to his muscles, he could swim for an extended period. However, apart from genetics, Léon Marchand credits his father for his successful career.

Léon Marchand always wanted to be like his father, Xavier Marchand

The Olympian’s father was the vice-world champion of the 200m in 1998 and a finalist in the Atlanta and Sydney Games. Growing up around someone like him, the interviewer asked if he gained any insight under his guidance. “I think that at the beginning, he didn’t really want me to nig because entry is not necessarily the most fun sport, but he did it. So, he knew all the sacrifices to achieve hundredths of a second, which are not necessarily the most profitable,” he stated. 

However, they also had something in common—their love for the sport. “Taking a lot of pleasure in what I do every day, getting up in the morning with a smile.” However, because his father had been here before, he was a little skeptical about Léon Marchand’s Olympic journey. But he supported him regardless. “He taught me a lot. My father, he still teaches me. Besides, I think that already my education, humility, the fact of wanting to do what we love.”

However, he ultimately decided to take the plunge. “In the end, it was me who loved what he had. That’s what he had to doing the pool, so I went there by myself, but there is always a lot of advice,” he confessed. When the Olympian debuted in the Tokyo Summer Games, he expressed feeling a lot of pressure. While he didn’t make it to the podium, Xavier Marchand helped him throughout his first stint. 

“He knew that the games are a big party. So, it is difficult to be focused on our performances, so we talked a lot about that,” Léon Marchand confessed. But the swimmer redeemed himself in the French capital, and his father was right by his side. Even though he reiterated that hard work helps, the 22-year-old’s genetics definitely helped him swim his way to victory. Let us know what you think.