“Thank you for coming…” It is after 10:30 p.m. at the edge of the deserted pool of the IU Natatorium and Léon Marchand, after a long anti-doping control, takes leave of the French press present in Indianapolis. The tricolor prodigy, 21, does not regret his trip to the NCAA finals, where he has just led his Arizona State Sun Devils (ASU) team to its first university coronation in 87 years of competition…
As has become a habit in the United States, the Toulouse player literally flew through the four days of the event to allow ASU to be well ahead of the Berkeley Golden Bears, defending champions, in the general classification. Marchand is so on another planet that even Rowdy Gaines, triple Olympic medalist and star swimming commentator in the USA, rushed to ask him for a selfie as soon as the ceremonial podium was over…
“I have never experienced something so intense and sharing it with all my friends was huge,” smiles the five-time world champion. I’m exactly where I wanted to be, which is to win with this team. In terms of personal goals, I’m really happy because I improved in front crawl and breaststroke. »
It’s the least we can say. To end his short course season in apotheosis, the ASU leader beat his own record in the 200 yards breaststroke (1′46′’35) before getting off to a great start on the 4 x 100 yards NL relay (40′ ’28, 3rd time in history behind Dressel and Liendo). A real fireworks display.
“As we had already won the title before the relay, and that is quite rare, I thought we were going to swim very relaxed,” he explains. But we really wanted to perform. We really gave ourselves to set the NCAA record in this last race. I didn’t really look at who I was (notably Josh Liendo) but I still saw that it was a hell of a final…”
“When Léon arrived, everything took off”
Before going to spend a short night between a closing dinner and waking up at 5 a.m. to return by the first plane to Tempe, in the suburbs of Phoenix, Marchand had time to do the (proper) accounts of his stay in Indiana: ten races in total (heats and finals), three individual titles in three events (500 yards NL, 400 yards medley and 200 yards breaststroke), two in relays and three new NCAA records (500 yards NL , 200 yards NL on the 800 yards NL relay and 200 yards breaststroke).
“I surprised myself in a few races because I didn’t think I would be able to do that and especially repeat it for four days,” he breathes. It’s very intense. I really managed to manage my energy as the week went on. » And above all to pass it on to his 17 training comrades, for whom he is an example and a driving force.
All of the ASU swimmers surround Bob Bowman in the water to celebrate the Sun Devils’ first NCAA title. (LP/Eric Bruna)
“I’m really grateful to everyone who believed in this project when there was nothing to believe in,” explains coach Bob Bowman, who is barely dry after jumping fully dressed with all the staff into the diving pit to drown his euphoria. When Léon arrived (in 2021), everything took off. He made all of this happen. It set an example for everyone of what true excellence was, raised everyone’s standards and attracted other swimmers who could help us win this trophy. »
Covered from the corner of his eye by his mentor, rarely as expansive and happy as a kid despite his track record, the heralded star of the Paris Games assumed his responsibilities perfectly. “It’s building,” he observes. The first year, I was a freshman so we didn’t say much, the second year we started to gain a little confidence, to have a little more strong opinion and this year, I was a little more of a mentor. We have a lot of young people arriving who don’t have international experience. So I like to bring them a little something of my own. »
Bowman, former coach of Michael Phelps, is impressed by the maturity of his protégé. “Since he’s been in Arizona, he’s gone from a little boy to a little man,” says the American mischievously. He has grown in all areas, he has become stronger, the training is getting better every day because he applies himself all the time. »
Léon Marchand congratulated by his comrades in the 4×100 yards NL relay after the victory. (LP/Eric Bruna)
Apart from the pride of being master of the world which is measured in yards, memories which will remain engraved in his memory when he leaves the university fold to become professional and a big pile of wooden trophies which are just waiting to take the dust, the 3rd year computer science student will hardly have time to savor ASU’s triumph.
Even if he avoids planning ahead, the Paris Games are coming quickly. “It’s a good page for the tour, we’re going to get a little more involved in training and it’s going to be cool because I haven’t done too much yet this season,” he says. Afterwards, it will be back to France at the beginning of June and we will see…”
