Bob Bowman Indicates Event Decision Looms For Leon Marchand Ahead of Paris Games

Leon Marchand of France competes in the 200m Butterfly Men Heats during the 20th World Aquatics Championships at the Marine Messe Hall A in Fukuoka (Japan), July 25th, 2023.

Bob Bowman Indicates Event Decision Looms For Leon Marchand Ahead of Paris Games

At next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, Frenchman Leon Marchand will be an undisputed focal point of the action. Not only will the home nation follow every move of Marchand, the Arizona State University star is coming off a three-gold showing at last summer’s World Championships in Fukuoka. An argument can be made that Marchand is the sport’s premier force.

While Marchand is guaranteed to contest the 200-meter individual medley and 400 individual medley, a choice looms between the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke. Those events overlap, with prelims and semifinals of each scheduled for July 30 and the final slated for July 31. Due to that conflict, Marchand is unlikely to race both events.

Last weekend, Marchand’s coach, Bob Bowman, discussed the dilemma with Swimming World while attending his induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Bowman indicated that time is on Marchand’s side. The duo will have the chance to consider Marchand’s training and the global landscape of the events. However, an eventual call must be made.

“You probably can’t do both,” Bowman said. “A decision doesn’t have to be made now. We can take some time, evaluate the situation, and make a decision later.”

At the World Championships, Marchand opted for the 200 butterfly, and claimed gold in convincing fashion. World-record holder Kristof Milak of Hungary was absent from the World Champs while addressing his mental health, but is expected to be in peak form for Paris. Meanwhile, Marchand scratched the 200 breaststroke, which was won by China’s Qin Haiyang in world-record time.

Regardless of which event he chooses, Marchand will be a leading medal contender. The Frenchman is the No. 5 performer in history in the 200 breaststroke (2:06.59) and ranks No. 3 all-time in the 200 butterfly (1:52.43).

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