Leon Marchand Hints at Potential 200/400 Free For Los Angles Olympics in 2028

Going into the European Championships, coping with a re-aggravated hip adductor damage that saved Leon Marchand out of a number of signature occasions, his focus shifted to a extra freestyle- and butterfly-dominated occasion lineup in Paris. However, that proved to be an eye-opening expertise for each Marchand and followers alike.

Marchand was electrical, successful each the 400 free and 200 fly occasions in Paris, together with a blistering 3:43.14 within the 400 free, the quickest time within the subject by practically a second and a half. Though possibly his most jaw-dropping efficiency got here within the 4×200 freestyle relay, as he led off for the French contingent in 1:43.76, which makes him the Seventh-fastest performer within the historical past of the occasion.

Though now we have seen flashes of Marchand’s freestyle potential prior to now, as we draw nearer to the Los Angeles Olympics, Marchand has shared that racing the 200 and 400 freestyles is unquestionably one thing he desires to do.

In a report from BFMRMC Sport, Marchand defined in April that he doesn’t really feel the necessity to repeat his four-gold efficiency on the Paris Olympics in 2024, which noticed him win the 200 and 400 IMs, in addition to the 200 fly and 200 breast.

“I have absolutely no desire to repeat myself,” Marchand stated on the time. “It’s done, so that chapter is closed. It was a different way of training and preparing. It wouldn’t give me any pleasure to put myself on the same program trying to do the same things; that’s not how I progress in my career and in everyday life.”

His efficiency on the European Championships has been considerably of a revelation for the French phenom, as he feels these new freestyle races could also be his new “thing”.

“I think I’ve found my thing! I really want to continue this momentum in the freestyle.” Marchand stated. “I’ve worked hard these last two years on my technique, on power, on my arms, on the way I do my kick too. And this is a bit of a reward for what I’ve been doing for two years.”

Marchand provides that whereas his instances in these freestyle races will not be the very best on the planet at the moment, it’s the thought of competitors and problem that retains him transferring ahead. He additionally touches on the potential of racing these occasions on the Los Angeles Olympics.

“I want to do that for Los Angeles, why not… The 200 freestyle, why not, the 400 freestyle… I’ll see how it goes, how I’m already treating my adductor and how I see the breaststroke in the coming months.”