We first witnessed Léon Marchand go Super Saiyan in the French capital. Every time he stepped into the pool, he emerged with coveted hardware to his name. He might not have clinched a gold in one of his events, but the prodigy walked away with 5 medals and 4 Olympic records. It definitely is not for the faintest of hearts. However, that was the last time we saw the Frenchman make a splash. That was until the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup! 

That’s right! The 4x Olympic gold medalist decided to kick his legs up momentarily, keeping his distance from the pool. However, he couldn’t stay away for too long and returned to compete in the first leg in Shanghai from October 18 to 20. While many hoped to watch him keep his unbeatable streak, things didn’t pan out on the final day of the World Cup. France’s Golden Boy had snagged gold in all 3 of the races so far. 

How did he fare in his final event? Léon Marchand stunned everyone by missing the podium entirely in the 200m breaststroke event. In a post-race interview, the swimmer pulled the curtains back on how he felt after the event. “My legs were cooked, they were dead,” he confessed to World Aquatics. This was the 22-year-old’s first time back in the pool after his thrilling spectacle at the París La Défense Arena. He reiterated, “This is the longest race I have swum since Paris. I forgot how much the 400 IM hurts.” The swimmer competed in two events on day 3.

Even though he snagged a gold in the 400m IM in Paris and Shanghai, he pulled back the curtains on what he could have done better. The swimmer continued, “I think I went out too hard on my fly segment.” He highlights his errors and clarifies how he should have focused on his strokes and the timings. “I’m pushing my body, and it’s been a real test racing all of these guys. But that’s what we are here for,” the 22-year-old added. 

However, this left him feeling spent when his final event rolled up. “In the 200 breast, I didn’t have much time to recover,” he confessed. Léon Marchand also talked about how his time in Shanghai hasn’t been the easiest. Even though they often travel to compete, chances are he feels like a fish out of the water. “I mean, this afternoon was a little hard for me because I was very tired from this whole week of jet lag, travel, and all that stuff,” he exclaimed. What was the first leg of the World Cup like for the Olympian?

Léon Marchand’s unbeatable streak comes to a crashing halt on the final day

The 22-year-old showcased his impressive form at the Paris Olympics, and it’s safe to say he was the favorite for a full gold sweep in the first leg. While he quickly racked up 3 medals each day, it was time for the final event—the 200m breaststroke finals. But like all good things, this is where his triumphant reign ended. 

While all eyes were on Léon Marchand, Joshua Yong stepped up and bagged an effortless win by touching the wall in 2:01.67s. Trailing behind him was Haiyang Qin, who settled for a second-place finish with 2:01.92s on the clock. Caspar Corbeau completed the podium in 2:02.42s. So, where was the Olympian, you ask? In a shocking turn of events, the 22-year-old finished 0.57s slower than Corbeau, touching the wall in 2:02.99s.

Not only did the swimmer miss out on a gold, but he failed to make the podium entirely. As shocking as that was, France’s Golden Boy ended the first leg with a bang. How? He currently is on top of the table with a total of 58.3 points, and he has his first 3 events to thank for that! On day 1, he tackled the 100m individual medley and swooped in to snag his first gold with 50.65s. This is where things take a turn for the better. 

Day 2 was a little interesting for Léon Marchand. The 22-year-old led the 200m individual medley from the get-go, touching the wall in 1:50.30s. But here’s the kicker. This incredible time broke the European, French, and World Cup records. His final gold medal was in the 400m individual medley. Never failing to impress, his blistering 4:00.03s shattered yet another French record right before the dreaded 200m breaststroke. It’s safe to say that the Olympian won’t let this loss go and might come back stronger than ever in the second leg at Incheon.