French swimming champion Léon Marchand will leave for Australia in January for “two to three months”. A stay during which he plans to train with a new coach.
The announcement came Thursday in Saint-Denis de La Réunion. Swimming champion Léon Marchand will fly to Australia next month, where he plans to train.
“I’m going to try to see another culture, train with a new coach, and then I’ll join Bob Bowman in Austin later this year.”explained to the press the five-time Olympic medalist, visiting Reunion Island to participate in the Indian Ocean swimming meeting.
The 22-year-old swimmer, trained for two and a half years by Bob Bowman in the United States, explained that he wanted to “see something else, surf, enjoy Australia”. He planned to leave “two to three months”he clarified.
A 200m specialist in the medley, breaststroke and butterfly events, the world champion also plans to compete in freestyle competitions and other distances in order to avoid getting “to tire”.
Headlining the 35th Indian Ocean swimming meeting, a competition which begins Friday in Saint-Denis de La Réunion and continues until Sunday, Léon Marchand said he wanted “performer” because there remains “competitor”, even if the sporting issue is not decisive. He will swim the 200m, 100m and 50m breaststroke.
Six other Olympians, including the captains of the French swimming team Béryl Gastaldello and Damien Joly, are taking part in this event which brings together local swimmers from France, Madagascar and Mauritius.
Saying “exhausted”Léon Marchand had given up on the short course World Championships at the end of November (December 10-15 in Budapest) after having won four Olympic gold medals and one bronze (4x100m medley relay) this summer in Paris, explaining that he wanted “take a step back” in order to prepare “future challenges”.
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