Leon Marchand Named World Male Swimmer of the 12 months; Momentum Carrying Into Olympic Marketing campaign
Even for the nice ones, it’s by no means simple to stroll into a significant competitors beneath intense scrutiny and saddled by lofty expectations. This was the situation encountered by France’s Leon Marchand as he ventured to Japan this previous summer season for the newest version of the World Championships. Would he ship on his huge promise? Would there be a pitfall? May anybody emerge and stun the Frenchman?
The solutions to these aforementioned questions: Sure. No. No.
Over the previous few years, Marchand has etched himself as one of many elite athletes within the sport, a person with huge ability in all strokes and the psychological fortitude to excel when the stakes are highest. So, when the 21-year-old stormed to 3 titles on the World Champs in Japan, it was hardly a shock. Actually, it was an anticipated final result, and easily enhanced the joy over what Marchand may handle at a house Olympic Video games in Paris subsequent yr.
By mining three gold medals on the World Champs—and breaking a world document that was iconic—Marchand vaulted himself to choice as Swimming World’s Male World Swimmer of the 12 months. Marchand captured the glory convincingly over China’s Qin Haiyang, who swept the breaststroke occasions at Worlds and was named Male Pacific Rim Swimmer of the 12 months.
Earlier than Marchand headed to the World Champs, the entrance half of his yr was outlined by greatness on the American collegiate scene. As Arizona State College completed second within the group standings on the NCAA Championships, Marchand broke a trio of data within the 200 yard particular person medley, 400 IM and 200 breaststroke. The school season additionally included gorgeous efforts within the freestyle and butterfly disciplines, and generated intrigue for what was to come back within the massive pool.
In fact, Marchand delivered with three epic performances at Fukuoka’s Marine Messe Corridor. En path to victory within the 200 butterfly and 200 IM, Marchand turned the No. 3 performer in historical past in every occasion (he has since been bumped to fourth within the 200 IM). But it surely was his outing within the 400 IM that positioned Marchand in rarefied firm. Protecting the decathlon of the game in 4:02.50, Marchand wiped greater than a second off Michael Phelps’ 2008 world document of 4:03.84 and completed greater than 4 seconds away from silver medalist Carson Foster of america.
Phelps was readily available because the final of his world data was erased, and the 28-time Olympic medalist was mesmerized by what Marchand completed. Given their shared coach in Bob Bowman, Phelps had a singular appreciation for what went into the primary world commonplace of Marchand’s profession. As for Marchand, he cherished the primary world mark of his fledgling profession.
“That was insane,” Marchand mentioned of his effort. “That was one of the vital painful issues I did. The perfect is but to come back.”
If not for a scheduling battle, Marchand may have contended for a fourth medal on the World Championships. For the yr, he ranked third globally within the 200 breaststroke, an occasion that may determine into his plans for the Paris Video games. Come the 2024 Olympics, Marchand must decide between the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke.
In the meantime, one of many keys within the Olympic yr might be Marchand’s capability to deal with the highlight that can include a house Olympiad. However with Bowman managing his coaching and extracurriculars equivalent to media obligations, Marchand is actually in good fingers.
With out query, one other massive yr is on the horizon.
“It stays to be seen what he can do subsequent yr. It’s going to be numerous expectations,” Bowman mentioned. “However I really feel like he’s finished an excellent rehearsal this yr and final yr. They’ve been good preparations for what is going to occur subsequent yr, and we’ll attempt to carry that over to Paris.”
