Léon Marchand is the king of Olympic swimming this time around. The 22-year-old French swimmer dominated the men’s 200 IM final during the Paris Olympic Games, taking home his fourth gold medal. Over the past week, Léon was victorious in multiple other events.
The pro swimmer has broken several records. He is now the first French swimming champ to win several gold medals in the same Olympics. According to social media and Olympics viewers around the world, Léon is the new king of swimming.
Previously, the athlete opened up about his Olympic journey, per Olympics.com.
Léon Marchand has earned his fourth gold medal during the 200-meter individual medley. #Olympics
He joins Micheal Phelps and Mark Spitz as the only male swimmers to win four individual gold medals in a single summer games. pic.twitter.com/psJ8jFlXI6
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 2, 2024
“When I returned to France, I was a bit stressed realising that the Olympics were less than a month away,” he explained. “But since I’ve been in training camp, I’ve been calm and serene. The event doesn’t overwhelm me; it will help me transcend.”
While crediting coach Bob Bowman — who also coached Michael Phelps — Léon noted, “Bob and I have done the job for a year and a half, now is not the time to panic. We don’t overthink it.”
“For me, it’s a driving force. Making history helps you learn about yourself and opens you up to others,” the gold medalist added. “Many French athletes, for example, are inspired by Florent Manaudou. It’s not my primary goal, but it comes with what I do in the water and the work I put in.”
