Invited to speak atan interview conducted for World Aquaticsthe international swimming federation, and published on December 24, Léon Marchand spoke about his very rich year 2024.
Before flying to Australia for several months, the Frenchman notably returned to his new notoriety, his future retraining but also his participation in the Swimming World Cup in 2024. Satisfied with it, which he found “very fun“, he especially appreciated the environment of this type of competition, where he was able to “meet the athletes outside the pools, whereas at the Olympic Games, we are really by delegation“.
Above all, he was able to travel, move around, see a new culture, adapt. Apparently a fan of this kind of short format of competition, he greatly appreciated being able to visit between races, or having improbable interactions, like when he found himself in a Shanghai internet café playing video games with the master. swimmer at his hotel pool.
Speaking of short time, he admitted to preferring short course swimming, in particular because he practiced it a lot in the NCAA (university circuit) in the United States and that he progressed enormously from a point of view. technical, but also because he finds that “cooler to watch, people understand more what's going on and it feels more like a sprint“.
In a 180-degree interview, where he looks at all aspects of his life as a student-athlete at university in the United States, which he is pleased to have chosen, and for which he praises the fact of swimming in competitive teams, he also spoke about his desires for the future, professional and sporting.
While he said he loves music and mixing, “especially the house“, he above all expressed his desire to work in astrophysics, astronomy or in the space field later. Passionate about the sector, “he would love to get up in the morning to go to work and work in the field.”
Obviously questioned about the Olympics and the frenzy to which he largely contributed, the swimmer knows that he had a moment “unique“like he will never live again. He thus returned to his new notoriety, a life”very different“, while hedon't come across a French person who hasn't seen the Games“.
Already looking ahead to 2025, he confided that he would love “do freestyle races“even if he will have to “practice a lot first”. A way perhaps also to break the routine, for those who take Caeleb Dressel as inspiration, in particular for having openly spoken about the mental health of swimmers, despite his numerous successes.
