In the swimming world, Leon Marchand has been under the radar of the fans as well as the critics after his various accolades in the sport at such a young age. While this surely has built up the hype and popularity surrounding the 22-year-old, it has also garnered a lot of pressure for the swimmer. Previously, Marchand has talked about this particular issue, and now one of his teammates has backed him up regarding the stress that comes with growing fame.

Guillaume Guth, who is a member of the Dauphins sports club and had swum alongside Marchand, understood the situation that the Frenchman was going through. Furthermore, he gave a candid thought about the fame surrounding his fellow swimmer to News Day France in an interview.

Encountering a troublesome popularity 

Marchand isn’t the only swimmer who has come through such a wave of fans who admire him for his accolades or critics who are ready to point out a single mistake of his on the course. However, his age becomes an important factor considering his accolades, as there’s a lot of expectation on him from his countrymen, especially hardcore swimming aficionados. 

While it’s completely normal to have so much attention for being such a top athlete in their respective sport, sometimes it’s just unbearable for the sportsperson. As reported by News Day France, Guth emphasized the sentiment surrounding Marchand, as he mentioned, “There was a lot of madness around him, and I understand that it can be heavy. It’s not like before for him, we can’t deny it, and we have to face it.”

As a fellow Olympian, Guth can understand these situations that athletes like Marchand come across. “When you write history, it’s the price of success,” said Guth. The Frenchman acknowledged his teammate’s achievements with a powerful statement and nonetheless wants Marchand to cope with his growing fame. 

There have been multiple occasions when the 22-year-old has come across these waves of diehard fans. One such encounter was recently when he visited his boyhood club, Dauphin, which he joined when he was just 6 years old. While he was glad to see people rooting for him, his popularity yet again put him in distress.

The 2024 season saw a great version of Marchand in the waters, as he was able to secure not one but four gold medals in the individual races and a single bronze medal in the medley. However, the Frenchman decided not to end his campaign in his home but proceeded to compete at the Swimming World Cup.

Leon Marchand establishing dominance over the pool

After a dominant run in Paris, many swimming fans thought Marchand’s season was done, but he had further plans. The 22-year-old was determined to compete in all three legs of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, and when he did, he stunned a lot of people out there. 

The Frenchman showcased precision in his swim, and in the first leg in Shanghai, he put on a gold medal performance in all three events he participated in, which were the men’s 100m medley, 200m medley, and the 400m medley. The swimmer further participated in similar events in the next leg in Incheon, South Korea, where he again captured gold in the three competitions.

Heading into the final leg in Singapore, Marchand didn’t lose his form and kept up with his dominance in the same events. While he did earn gold in the men’s 100m medley, 200m medley, and 400m medley, the 22-year-old also participated in the 200m freestyle, where he settled for a silver medal. With a terrific campaign, he proved his mettle to the world. There’s surely a lot more to come from him in the coming years.