No limit to what I can do, says French swimmer Leon Marchand

Interview/ Leon Marchand, French swimmer

French swimmer Leon Marchand, five-time world champion, will dive into the pool at the Paris La Défense Arena on July 28 for the 400-metre medley that has been promised to him ever since he retained his world title last summer in Fukuoka, while smashing legend Michael Phelps’s last world record―Marchand’s record was 4.02.50 compared with Phelps’s 4.03.84 (in 2008). A feat that has already given him a new status, ahead of this quest for an incredible Olympic challenge that could see him become the first Frenchman to win four individual gold medals in a single edition of the Games (the 22-year-old is competing in the 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke and 200m freestyle).

Excerpts from an interview:

Q/ In two years, you have won five world titles and beaten Phelps’ world record. How has that changed your life?

A/ I don’t feel any different, I’ve just evolved. I’m a better version of myself, in the sense that I have more confidence in myself. When I make choices in my everyday life, I regret them a lot less than I used to. And that’s thanks to swimming. It doesn’t necessarily come from titles, but they validate what I do every day. This development has been a long road since I was a kid.

Q/ What do you mean by that?

A/ I’ve always been very shy and reserved. But I’ve taken my destiny into my own hands. I know myself better and better, my abilities, my faults. I’m able to choose what I want to do, without following the herd. I’m more focused on myself and I think I’m much more mature. I’ve become very independent since I started living on my own. Three years ago, I’d come home, put my feet under the table, the pasta and chicken were ready; now it’s different. All my life, everything I do all day, is to be better the next day in the water. Obviously, that requires sacrifice. But the titles serve as a reward, they help you get back in the water at 6am on Monday morning. When you don’t have results, it’s harder to do all that.

Following the champion: Marchand (left) with American swimmer and decorated Olympian Michael Phelps after he broke Phelps’ 400m individual medley record | Getty Images

Q/ The downside is your new status, isn’t it?

A/ When I’m in the US, I’m still a normal student who goes to classes and the swimming pool. They don’t recognise me, I’m just one of many world champions. And it suits me to remain incognito. Even though I love being on lane four in a final [the one reserved for the fastest time], I don’t like being in the limelight, having to express myself in public. But I’m making it my own more and more.

Q/ Over the past two years, we’ve noticed that your family and friends have become quite involved in your career. How do you get organised?

A/ We form a small group with my mother, who looks after me, my father, who looks after the media, and Carole (Bluzat, a family friend), who is a lawyer and manages my image and contracts with sponsors. There’s also Bob (Bowman, his American coach), who is a major player. So there are five of us, which is quite small, but it’s enough to protect me. In absolute terms, I’d like to see everyone and please everyone. Seeing people smile is great! It makes me really happy, but I could get carried away. Those closest to me know how to call me to order, tell me to reduce the time I spend with the press, to go and recuperate. Together, we draw up a career plan. It came about quite naturally after the World Championships in Budapest (2022). Basically, my job is limited to what I do in the water, they take care of everything else.

Q/ Conversely, your parents have chosen to withdraw completely from the media. Why is that?

A/ They’ve never really liked being in front of the cameras to talk about me. They never wanted us to share personal things, and neither did I for that matter. We try to keep it professional. I receive hundreds of requests a day, and they’re the ones who sort them out, which is a huge relief for me. All these decisions are taken together. We realised after Budapest just how big things were. Before, I was a national-level swimmer, but Budapest changed everything. I was no longer just an Olympic finalist, but a double world champion. We didn’t want to put up with it any more. We had to take things in hand to make my job easier. I really respect the fact that my parents can help me so much, but I don’t want it to be their full-time job. They each have their own jobs and their own lives.

Q/ Isn’t it difficult to keep your head on your shoulders?

A/ I think it’s a question of upbringing. My parents have been like that all their lives, they brought me up to be myself no matter what. I call them every week and we always talk about the same things. Nothing has changed. I always ask for Oscar’s [his younger brother] maths grades, which makes me feel a bit like I’m still in Toulouse. I know exactly what they do every day. That said, my parents taught me that swimming was only a small part of my life, the fun part. Obviously, the fun part has become more professional, but I still have a great time in the water. If it wasn’t a passion, I wouldn’t get up at 5am to dive into the cold water. My schooling also helps me keep my feet on the ground.

Q/ What subjects would interest you?

A/ The first thing I notice is the extent to which people listen to great sportsmen and women, respecting their voice and their experience. Phelps spent four years of his life when, mentally, it was very difficult. I’m also thinking of the gymnast Simone Biles, who is also very vocal on the subject. Who else can we listen to but them? I very much want to play this kind of role one day with the general public, and with young athletes, too.