21-Year-Old Frenchman On The Path to Become Next Michael Phelps, Shows Off Priceless Possession From American Turf

The world of swimming has witnessed several athletes who made their way to the top with their hard work and pace. One name that stands out on this list is the Baltimore Bullet Michael Phelps. There is nothing in professional swimming that Phelps hasn’t achieved, whether it is winning a humongous 28 Olympic medals or framing a multitude of world titles on his wall of fame. The swimming legend has achieved it all.

His dominance in the pool isn’t the only remarkable aspect of his career; he has also served as an inspiration for countless aspiring youngsters. One such promising young talent in the world of swimming is French sensation Léon Marchand, who is not only on the path to becoming the next Michael Phelps but is also fortunate to be trained by the same coach as Phelps. Training on American soil, the Frenchman recently shared one of his priceless possession on social media.

All that glitter looks like gold

The 21-year-old French swimmer took it to Instagram story to flaunt his Arizona State University badge with “PAC-12 CHAMPIONS” carved on it. The Toulouse native, currently studying computer science, is a part of the Arizona State Sun Devils team, and represents the team at the highest level. In his inaugural season, the young swimming prodigy lived up to expectations under the guidance of ASU’s head coach, Bob Bowman, who was also the coach of Michael Phelps.

Marchand has been headlining the swimming realm for a while now, as he has been one of the most promising swimmers. In his first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition, he made history by securing his first 200 IM title with a mesmerizing time of 1:37.69, marking the fastest time ever recorded in this category. He was also the first swimmer in the world to complete the race under 1:38 in the competition. Even at this year’s World Swimming Championship, Marchand broke a world record that Michael Phelps held for years.

Already stepping into the shoes of Michael Phelps

Marchand broke into the headlines in July when he stunned the world after shattering Phelps 21-year-old record in the 400-meter medley. The record was held by the Flying Fish since 2002, and the Frenchman went past the record after clocking 4 minutes, 2.50 seconds, breaking Phelps’ 4 minutes, 03.84 seconds. Not only this, but he also holds the European and French records across various categories.

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During the same Fukuoka championship, the ASU swimmer discussed the feat and Michael Phelps’ record, describing it as one of the most challenging achievements of his career. Now that everything is in place, the world will have its eyes set on the swimmer at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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