Léon Marchand, disaster confirmed

Today viviane. New Tuesday 03rd December 2024 03:53 AM REPORT

Léon Marchand's withdrawal from the short course world championships in Budapest deprives the French team of its best chances of a medal. With 12 swimmers in the running, the Blues will have significantly fewer assets.

In its entire history, France has won eight gold medals at the short course world championships, and this total was set to rise with the simple presence of Léon Marchand in Budapest (December 10-15). But Toulouse's package, announced on Saturday, has considerably changed the situation for the Blues.

We do not know how many events Léon Marchand would have competed in, but the four-time Olympic champion would have been the big favorite in the medley races (100, 200 and 400 meters). He would undoubtedly have had his say on a few distances in butterfly or breaststroke, as we saw this summer at the Olympics. Without him, and without Florent Manaudou, the other captain, the French group looks much less proud.

What medals without Léon Marchand?

Who will we have to count on? On Maxime Grousset, first of all. Disappointed by his performance at the individual Games, the New Caledonian will be the leader of the men's team, he who won the silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle during the previous short course World Championships, in Melbourne at the end of 2022. Damien Joly, also a medalist two years ago (over 1500 meters), is still there, while we will also follow the progress of backstrokers Yohann Ndoye-Brouard and Mewen Tomac.

Among the women, the main headliner is the other French individual Olympic medalist in Paris, Anastasiia Kirpichnikova. The experienced Mélanie Henique and Béryl Gastaldello are also in the selection. And the relays in all this? France won the title in 2022 in the 4×50 meter freestyle. But here too, the loss of a swimmer as efficient and versatile as Léon Marchand is a big problem for the Blues.