Five-time world champion Léon Marchand is doing better. In an interview with the specialist site Swimswam, the 21-year-old swimmer spoke about his start to the season disrupted by health concerns. He explained in particular that he had suffered from sinus discomfort.
“I’ve had a bit of trouble since the start of the season because of my sinuses. I was really sick in Greensboro (American University Championship in mid-November), it really wasn’t fun. I swam the 400 yard medley in the morning, and Bob (Bowman, his coach at Arizona State) told me to go home and rest up to go back to training. Which was a good decision. Then I had wisdom teeth surgery. I didn’t make the US Open either (end of November). I stayed here to get healthy. »
Léon Marchand gradually regains his feelings. He notably won a 200 yard freestyle and a 100 yard breaststroke during a match against another university. Next week, he will face his university ASU, the University of California, winner of the last NCAA title. “Yes, I feel much better. It was hard to go back, I struggled to get back into shape. But now it’s much better. I still have a little trouble in the long course to finish my races and my training. I enjoy training and I think I have improved a lot. »
But the Toulouse native, exiled in the United States, is already thinking about the Paris Olympics where he will be one of the expected stars of the competition. “I’m super excited. That’s why I like training here. I think we have everything we need to be good at the Olympics. This will be a huge year for me. There are the NCAAs (university championship final in March) which are also very important for me. And Paris… I think it will be amazing. I feel very lucky to have the Games in my country and I will share it with Bob (Bowman his coach in the United States) and Nico (Nicolas Castel his coach in Toulouse) and my teammates. And the French team is strong now…”
