Is Leon Marchand the new flag bearer of Men's swimming? Best performances of the Arizona State Swimmer explored

At just 21, Leon Marchand is making big splashes in the swimming world. Born and brought up in France, the youngster currently races for the Arizona State University, and has made his mark on both the collegiate circuit and in the international pools.

Marchand’s breakout moment came at the 2021 French Elite Swimming Championships when he clocked a personal best of 4:09.65 in the 400m individual medley. Not only did this time qualify him for the Olympics, it also set a new French record in the category. At the Games, the youngster competed in four events, with his best finish being sixth place in the 400m IM finals.

After his heroics at the Olympics, Leon Marchand signed with Arizona State University, preparing to train under the legendary Bob Bowman. In his freshman season for the Sun Devils, he set a new NCAA, NCAA Championships, and US Open record en route to gold in the 200-yard individual medley, clocking a 1:37.69.

He followed this up with a gold in the 200-yard breaststroke and two silvers in the 400-yard individual medley as well as the 4x100-yard freestyle.

A little later that year, the Frenchman bettered his own national record in the 400m individual medley at the World Aquatics Championships to win his first major international title. While in Budapest, he also won the 200m individual medley, and clinched a silver in the 200m butterfly, setting national records in both events.

2023 saw Leon Marchand win the 200-yard individual medley, 400-yard individual medley, and 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships, setting NCAA, Championships, and US Open records in all three races.

Last year's World Championships saw the Frenchman better his performance from 2022, walking away with gold in the 200m IM, 400m IM, and the 200m butterfly. The highlight, however, was when he reset the legendary Michael Phelps’ world record in the 400 IM with a time of 4:02.50.

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Leon Marchand on managing stress at the Paris Olympics

As the Paris Olympics approach, the stakes will be high for Leon Marchand. Not only is the youngster one of the biggest forces in the swimming world right now, he will be competing on home ground, with the pressure of expectations ever-present.

To deal with the stress that comes with an event as important as the Games, the French star has been working with his mental coach to ensure a flawless performance.

“The first thing I worked on with my mental coach [Thomas Sammut] was managing my stress and nervousness before competitions because when I was really nervous, I couldn't swim well at all. So I've been working on that, trying to be as relaxed as possible before and during competitions,” he said at a press conference organized by ASU (via Olympics.com).

For Marchand, ways to stay relaxed include focused breathing techniques only through his nose, as well as meditation that helps him concentrate solely on himself.