The 2024 season was amazing. Yes, it’s keeping about the perspective of every sport out there. There were stories from the rookies rising to the top and legends returning and making a mark once again in their respective sports. Indeed, the campaign was a blast, and many athletes set the bars up high, just like Michael Phelps in his prime, keeping the audience hyped up.

Speaking of Phelps, his successor, Leon Marchand, had nothing but success this year. The Frenchman secured his dream of competing at a home Olympic Games. Yes, Paris was a great experience for him, owing to his accolades not only at the same venue but also his performances throughout the whole year leading to the mega event. All of these achievements also helped him secure another off-season accolade, but this time, the fans weren’t particularly entertained, which sparked controversy.

The ‘next Michael Phelps’ had a year to remember

Coming to 2024, Leon Marchand was one swimmer to look forward to. But why so? At that time, he was only 21 years old, yet his accolades spoke volumes. Yeah, they spoke for the Frenchman. But what major events did he attend before the campaign started? In 2022, he surprised everyone with two gold medals in the 200m medley and the 400m medley and a silver medal in the 200m butterfly at the Budapest World Championships. And what was the driving force behind his success? He failed to get any medals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Indeed, Marchand had a point to prove. The community dubbed him the “next Michael Phelps” as he trained under coach Bob Bowman. But he was focused on becoming the first Leon Marchand, and did he succeed? Absolutely coming to 2023, there was another World Championship to look forward to in Fukuoka, Japan. And what happened there? What do you think? Utter domination! He won not just one, but three gold medals in the same competitions he took part in the previous year.

The pressure continued until 2024, but did he give in? Absolutely not! Michael Phelps’ successor never lost his momentum and just kept on training. There were tough times, but he thrived against all the odds and didn’t secure only a single Olympic medal on home soil. But five, that included four golds and a bronze medal. Generational talent! This was his redemption for a disappointing Olympic Games in Tokyo, and now in the off-season he secured the recognition of French Athlete of the Year and International Athlete of the Year from Eurosport.

Obviously, such accolades don’t come every year; those gleaming gold medals from Paris still hold significance for his stellar career. Marchand has achieved almost everything he could and made the most out of a single swimming season. A moment to be proud of! However, the internet audience did not view this particular accolade favorably.

Netizens had someone else in their eyes as the winner

As always, despite Leon Marchand’s prolific 2024 season, the way he was announced for these off-season achievements, they didn’t take it so well. Most of them tend to have a certain somebody in their eyes; as one fan stated, “What Marchand did is very strong, but putting him 1st ahead of Pogacar is still daring… Out of curiosity I looked at other tops of this type made elsewhere in the world, Léon Marchand is never in the top 10… A bit chauvinistic Eurosport :)” Another fan had a similar opinion, stating, “Four medals is strong but it is far from being a first in swimming… For me Pogi and Duplantis had done better.”

While this user didn’t fail to acknowledge Marchand’s achievements, they had a different opinion on this award, stating, “There’s nothing to say about the goat but Pogi deserved the number 1 spot.”

So who are the fans talking about? It’s Tadej Pogacar. But what about him? Indeed, he became a triple crown winner this season, owing to his victories at the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and UCI Road World Championships. In the cycling world, he undoubtedly earned the highest honor and perhaps solidified himself as one of the best cyclists of the current generation.

The fans’ frustration with Eurosport didn’t stop there; there were many who were unhappy with this award. One fan stated, “What a shame to put Marchand before Pogacar. It’s as if we’re watching the same thing. Pogacar has just had the best individual sporting season of the decade.” Another user gave a comparison, stating, “Good joke! It happens at every Olympics that a swimmer wins 4 gold medals. It has already happened 8 times in the 21st century…more than once per Olympiad and it will happen often again. Pogacar is the best season in history. Duplantis could have even been in front.”

Both Pogacar and Marchand are top-tier athletes, but fans will always have a different opinion between them. Indeed, they are the audience, and they have favorites to admire, and it is understandable if they do not believe the Frenchman deserves the accolade. However, Phelps’ successor had a terrific season, and he earned all the accolades of his own, including this off-season achievement.