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France's five-time Olympic medalist, Leon Marchand, has announced that he will be pulling out of the upcoming 2024 Short Course World Aquatics Swimming Championships. He shared the news after his impressive performance in the Singapore leg, where he shattered Ryan Lochte's world record.
Marchand began his journey towards the 2024 World Championships following an incredible campaign at the Paris Olympics. At the Singapore stop of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships, the Frenchman made waves by breaking Lochte's record in the 200m individual medley short course. He won the race with a new world record time of 1:48.88, surpassing the American swimmer's mark of 1:49.63 that he had set at the 2012 World Short Course Championships.
He was scheduled to compete in the 25m pools from December 10 to 15. However he has decided to wrap up his 2024 season early by announcing his withdrawal from the remainder of the competition. Marchand shared the update on his Instagram stories, writing:
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"I've decided to pull out from World Championships in Budapest. 2024 was really intense, I've done a lot of big competitions and I'm exhausted. It's time for me to step back, train hard and start preparing for future challenges. I know you will understand and I'm excited for what's ahead."
With this withdrawal, Marchand's swimming pursuits for 2024 have come to a close. During the year, he won four gold medals in the 400m individual medley, 200m breaststroke, 200m butterfly, and 200m individual medley, along with a bronze in the men's 4x100m medley relay at the Paris Olympics. He also delivered an incredible performance at the Swimming World Cup in Shanghai.
"I know I won’t spend my whole life in a pool" - Leon Marchand reflected on his future goals
During an interview with Canal+ in October, Leon Marchand revealed that his goal is not simply to win but to surpass his own limits and become a better version of himself every day, emphasizing that his life is not defined solely by the pool. He stated:
"My goal is not to win. It’s to surpass myself and be better than the day before. I know I won’t spend my whole life in a pool. I have a plan B and it allows me to let loose in the water during competitions. My goal later is to share and bear witness. When I won, my eyes were wide open. I tried to take a mental snapshot to better describe it later."
Marchand will soon return to the United States to begin preparations for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships under the guidance of his coach Bob Bowman.
