The French Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps has been indisputably the most dominant Olympian of all time with his 28 Olympic medals, 23 of those being gold. He has set numerous world and Olympic records and has had the most decorated career of any swimmer ever. So when any swimmer earns a comparison to Phelps, they are an automatic generational talent with the capacity to be the future of swimming. Such comparisons have been drawn between Phelps and Léon Marchand by Bob Bowman.

The La Défense Arena, filled with tens of thousands of spectators, erupted as the 22-year-old Léon Marchand reached the finish a whole body length ahead of the next swimmer at the men’s 400-meter Individual Medley (IM) finals. After the race, Marchand told reporters that his first Olympic gold medal and 400 IM record was “a dream come true.” But this was just the beginning of Marchand’s 2024 Olympic run. He was still set to take part in three more individual finals.

Marchand then set another Olympic record in the men’s 200-meter butterfly race on July 31, thus beginning to prove how he had earned the nickname “The Next Phelps.” In this race, he completed a historic comeback, finding himself half a body’s length behind the Hungarian Kristóf Milak with 50-meters to go. It seemed as if Marchand had no chance at catching up, still trailing halfway through the last lap. However, he miraculously pulled his way ahead of the Hungarian, finishing well ahead and setting his second Olympic record. Despite this triumphant victory, his celebrations were short-lived.

After briefly acknowledging his supporters, Marchand was one of the first swimmers to leave the pool area. That is because he had another race less than an hour away. Marchand was set to swim in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke race, his strongest stroke. He emerged from the tunnel among the other swimmers, as if he had not just set a record in the most prestigious swimming competition on the planet.

In this next race, Marchand was ahead of the pack immediately off the dive. Every time he popped his head above the water, the thousands of French fans would roar in his support. His lead only expanded, and he found himself with one 50-meter lap left to go 0.2 seconds faster than the world record split. The second place swimmer at the split was Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook, a swimmer renowned for his strong finishes. Marchand was able to maintain a full body distance lead for the duration of this lap, only narrowly missing out on a world record after already having swam a 200-meter race prior to this one.

Marchand left the pool with two gold medals and two Olympic records all in one night. At this point, Marchand had established himself as by far the most dominant male swimmer at the tournament. American commentator Rowdy Gaines referred to him as “The King Marchand” at the beginning of his breaststroke race, establishing him as the swimmer to watch for all viewers. The pressure was now on Marchand to live up to these colossal expectations in his final individual race.

Last up was the men’s 200-meter individual medley. Despite this being his eighth race, everyone knew that Marchand would be able to handle the pressure, as he had previously displayed his capabilities to do so. Any questions around his performance were in regards to possible fatigue, having swam the heats for four swims and the finals for three. But in typical fashion, Marchand won emphatically, with the next swimmer coming in 1.25 seconds after him. In this race, the French fans continued their tradition of roaring as he popped up during the breaststroke, illustrating their adoration for their new sensation.

And of course, Marchand walked away with a fourth Olympic record. His performance commanded the respect of all, but perhaps most significantly his predecessor, Phelps. The American legend described this series of victories as “the greatest double” he had ever seen in the sport.

Such respect may also stem from the fact that Marchand’s coach, Bob Bowman, was once Phelps’s coach. Bowman started coaching Marchand when he swam at Arizona State University. As a Sun Devil, Marchand made history as well. At the 2022 NCAA Championships, he shattered the 200-yard individual medley record by over 0.4 seconds, previously held by American superstar Caleb Dressel. In a 2023 interview, Bowman stated that “Léon right now is reminding me of Michael in like 2003.” Such high praise from a coach who has worked with the absolute best of the sport is not to be taken lightly.

Bowman has had an enormous effect on Marchand’s career, transforming him from just another swimmer to the greatest swimmer. Marchand’s first Olympics were in Tokyo, where he placed sixth, 14th, and 18th in his individual events. Bowman began working with Marchand in 2021, and since then, nobody has been able to match his ability and growth.

After seeing how much Marchand has improved and has taken the swimming world by storm, it seems as if he is poised to continue growing and setting records. According to the NIH, the average swimmer peaks between ages 21 to 26. Marchand, being still only 22, has many years left in his prime and as a professional swimmer. Based on his trajectory, it seems as though he will continue setting records and dominating the sport. However, one question remains: will Marchand be able to live up to Michael Phelps’s legacy?