Léon Marchand on track at the French championships on Sunday. DAMIEN MEYER / AFP
The double world champion Léon Marchand, who dives from Sunday in Rennes at the French swimming championships, likes to set himself challenges to maintain “a small part of doubt”.
You haven’t competed in France since 2021, how does it feel to come back and find your teammates?
Leon Marchand : It’s very nice! Especially to find the TOEC (the club of his debut in Toulouse, editor’s note). It’s always a big family that travels. It had been two years since I had participated with them in this competition. There it’s nice because I have all my friends, there is always a very good atmosphere in the team.
Do you feel you have a particular responsibility in the France team?
Not necessarily. Often people say I’m a leader but I’m more of a leader by what I do in the water. Usually the 400m medley takes place on the first day of the world championships so it’s always good to be able to start a dynamic in the group. I see it a bit like this: if I do the job in the water, others will be inspired and influenced by what I do. And after that, we have the captains (Florent Manaudou and Mélanie Hénique, editor’s note) to really be the leaders of the group.
You don’t feel like training others other than with your performance in the water?
I could, but I’ll do it later I think. For the moment, it’s not really my role and I don’t have too much experience in that. I think there are people who do it much better especially. When I have more experience, when I know how to speak a little more in public, to talk to people to motivate them, I will do it. But for now, it’s not really my thing.
Since your return to France, do you feel the expectations weighing on you?
I feel it when I do press conferences, when people recognize me a little or when they talk to me about the Paris Olympics right away. It’s normal, and frankly it makes me happy, you have to take advantage of it. It’s not everyday that swimming gets visibility, so I’m taking it positively.
I also need to have a small part of doubt.
Leon Marchand
Have you entered a more professional mode as the Games approach?
Yeah, I think that’s part of the job, I didn’t realize it at first because I didn’t have media just following me. But we learn it as we go. It’s part of my job as a professional swimmer to be careful what I say, not to take too much time with the media, to try to stay focused on what I’m doing in the water and above all to spend time with my friends, to have fun. It is all the same the main thing and we must not move away from it.
Do you need to have fun to move forward?
Yes, I couldn’t train on my own or I could, but for a fairly limited period. I need to have people to talk to during training, to have people who stimulate me, whether in training, in class or in my everyday life and that’s how it is that I advance.
Do you need to set yourself challenges?
I need to have a little challenge, something to go after. When it’s too easy, it doesn’t work. I also need to have a small part of doubt. Maybe 70% confidence and 30% doubt. If there is no doubt, in general, it does not work and if there is no trust, it is the same.
