Four times Olympic champion at the Paris Games, Léon Marchand has already planned his career change at the University of Arizona, with several options.
At 22, Léon Marchand was the star of these Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Already five times long course world champion, he participated this summer in his second Olympic Games after Tokyo. Aligned in 200 and 400m medley, 200m breaststroke and 200m butterfly, the Frenchman won all possible gold medals.
Living in the United States for almost three years, Léon Marchand trains with the legendary trainer Bob Bowman, who notably trained Michael Phelps at Arizona State University. In parallel with his daily training in the swimming pool, Léon Marchand continued his studies in computer science and programming.
In addition to his many daily hours of training and studies, Léon Marchand also tries to make time for another hobby: aviation. He is in fact trying to get his pilot’s license, which he had started in France before going into exile to swim under the orders of Bob Bowman. “I told myself that I was going to finish it in the US, but it’s quite complicated. There are a lot of administrative papers because when you’re a foreigner you can’t fly a plane like that,” he explained to subject of this passion which could become reconversion.
Because Léon Marchand plans to one day leave the water for good and fly into the air, even if he lacks time for this project. Between the administrative difficulties and the density of his training, it is indeed difficult for him to find time to learn to pilot. But the Frenchman keeps this goal in mind, especially since he would like to fly around his university, and in particular towards the Grand Canyon.
“I managed to do around fifteen hours in the US last year anyway, and this year I have to get back into it. I would like to have my private pilot’s license. Plus in Arizona, it It’s great because we can go see the Grand Canyon, it’s an hour away by plane, so it’s really the dream. I have to do it, but I don’t have much time. this moment!” It’s easy to understand…