Léon Marchand is making a comeback to competition, with new challenges in mind

A priori, it is a classic return to business. For the first time in six months and its participation in a stage of the World Cup in a small pool in Singapore, in November 2024, Léon Marchand will find the competition, Thursday, May 1, during the Tyr Pro Series of Fort Lauderdale (Florida). In reality, the situation has changed well: after having scoured the titles in the university championships, the Frenchman will play this American meeting in a big basin with his new status as a professional and represent for the first time his new team, the Texas Longhorns.

Above all, he will set off over two distances that he does not yet master but which should structure his training programs for the next three years, for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. In addition to three of the four specialties that made him an Olympic champion (200 m breaststroke, 200 m 4 swimming and 400 m 4 swimming), the Toulousain will start the 400 m freestyle-his first race, Thursday at the end of the afternoon -, and 200 m freestyle in Fort Lauderdale.

“I started this freelance challenge in January. It makes me vibrate because I don’t know if it is possible, because I have never really done crawlhe confided to several media, including The worldduring a video call on April 14. I need to get out of my comfort zone, do things that I have never done before to progress. »»

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