Mayes Yousef
Leon Marchand secured the gold medal in the 100m individual medley at the short-course World Cup in Shanghai, clocking in at 50.65 seconds on Friday. This marked his first race since his impressive performance at the Paris Olympics. The 22-year-old French swimmer, who gained global fame after winning four gold medals at the Olympics, edged out Switzerland’s Noe Ponti by just one millisecond.
Marchand made headlines at the Paris Olympics after dominating all four of his individual events: the 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, and both the 200m and 400m medley, earning comparisons to the legendary Michael Phelps.
Speaking to AFP, Marchand shared that after taking a break post-Olympics, his focus is now on getting back into his regular training routine. “I don’t have any big expectations at the moment, just trying to enjoy myself and return to my usual standards,” he said.
Marchand caught the attention of spectators during the 100m medley heats when he donned a cap with the name of American swimming star Caeleb Dressel, who wasn’t competing in China. Marchand explained that the two had exchanged caps at the Olympics, noting that Dressel has been a key influence in his swimming career and personal life. “I was really proud to wear his cap today,” Marchand said.