With the Paris Olympics behind us, a new chapter in swimming is starting with the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, which ends with a big finale in Singapore from October 31 to November 2. But beyond the excitement of the competition, some interesting changes are happening in the swimming world. Carson Foster, one of the top U.S. individual medley swimmers, is now training under the renowned Bob Bowman, who is also Leon Marchand’s coach. Previously, he was coached by the legendary Eddie Reese, who retired after the Olympic Trials in Indianapolis. While Foster’s coaching has changed, much of his journey remains the same.

Carson Foster recently appeared on the Social Kick Podcast to discuss his performance at the Paris Olympics and offer a glimpse into his future in swimming. Speaking with hosts Luke Paddington, Bryan Lundquist, and John Mullen, Foster reflected on training alongside French Olympic champion Leon Marchand, his teammate in the men’s 400 IM at the 2024 Games.

The host asked Carson if he and his teammates had discussed how Leon Marchand, with all the attention on him now, might handle the transition back into training. They wondered if the team had thought about how to support him, especially since Marchand is one of Carson’s biggest rivals. When asked about Marchand, who’s been in the spotlight after winning five medals—four golds in individual events and a bronze in the men’s 4x100m medley relay—Foster’s response was both thoughtful and revealing.

Carson shared his thoughts on the situation, saying, “No, I haven’t. I haven’t. We have—I mean, there hasn’t been much talk about it.” He explained that while he knows Leon from competing against him and they chat at meets, they don’t have a close relationship. “But me and Leon aren’t, like, you know, texting on the regular and like checking in with each other. So we’re not like close like that,” he noted, but he expressed eagerness to get to know Leon better.

Carson admires Leon not only for his swimming talent but also for his balance between sport and life. “He’s a great swimmer, but like he also, on the day-to-day, he’s not obsessed with swimming. Like, he has interests in a life outside of swimming, which I think is so cool.”

Carson is looking forward to training with Leon and hopes to become closer friends as members of the Pro Group. He mentioned how valuable it is to have someone like Leon in training, saying, “Sometimes when we do a set, I’ve wanted to ask Bob, ‘Okay, what would Leon go on this set?’” He views Leon as a benchmark in the sport and is eager to see how they both progress together. “I’m just excited to see that,” he concluded, reflecting his anticipation for their future training sessions. However, Leon Marchand and Carson Foster are rivals in swimming, which they revealed earlier this year.

Leon Marchand and Carson Foster’s journey to keep their eyes on the prize

Leon Marchand has racked up an impressive 14 medals, including both Olympic and World Championship titles, with nine of those being gold. Carson Foster isn’t far behind, also boasting 13 total medals, 2 of which are Olympic medals: silver and bronze. However, Carson’s journey hasn’t been smooth sailing. After missing out on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he went through a significant mental shift that changed his approach to the sport. Back in February, he shared with Olympics.com and talked about how this transformation reignited his passion for swimming and about his rivalry with Leon.

Leon and Foster crossed paths at both the NCAA and World Championship levels, creating a familiarity that blossomed during the 2022 World Championships. At first, Carson found it frustrating to compete against Marchand’s dominance, but he decided to change his mindset. Instead of letting bitterness take over, he chose to see their rivalry as a chance for personal growth before the Pris Olympics. “Leon’s going to continue to bring the best out of me,” he said, recognizing that he has to give it his all in practice to keep up. Despite the challenges, Carson remains a significant contender in the swimming world, ready to rise to the occasion alongside his rival.