Earlier this week, World Record holder Leon Marchand spoke with French media about his competition plan for the season. We will only see him race twice through the remaining four months of the year, a plan which is reminiscent of Michael Phelps.
Marchand confirmed that he will be racing at the first stop of the Swimming World Cup in Carmel, Indiana from October 10-12. He will reportedly not be racing at the remaining two World Cup stops in Westmont, Illinois, and Toronto, Canada.
This means that he will not defend his title as the top male swimmer from last year’s World Cup, a feat that won him $174,000 in prize money, the most of any man in competition. He will still be eligible for prize money at the one stop he competes in and for World Record bonuses.
He will then take the month of November off of competition, while traveling to Colorado Springs for a training camp. In December, he will compete in the US Open, which will run from December 3-6 in his home training base of Austin.
After swimming with different training groups last season, Marchand is back in Austin with Bob Bowman and the pro group at the University of Texas, and Bowman’s influence is evident in his competition plan.
Marchand has raced four times this year, including the World Championships in July. When we add the two meets he has confirmed his presence at to these totals, he will race just six meets in 2025, a massive shift from the NCAA schedule he has swum the last few years that saw him race 13 times in 2025 and 15 times in 2023
If we look at the meet plans of former Bowman swimmers, namely Michael Phelps, we see a similar trend. In 2005, the closest equivalent year to Marchand right now, Phelps swam seven meets.
Other Bowman trained pro swimmers race more frequently. Shaine Casas has already raced seven meets this year, and Carson Foster has swum six. On the women’s side, Regan Smith and Simone Manuel have both raced six times this year and Smith has confirmed her attendance at all three World Cup stops.
Any updates on Summer and how her new training is going in Texas?
I’m expecting pentathlon results sometime in the next week. Not the biggest indicator of how it’s going, but it’s something.
I am sure that this schedule is what Bowman believes is best for Leon. Unlike footballers, basketball or baseball players, swimmers are rarely seen in competition which means much fewer opportunities to make money from streaming or broadcasting. A real problem in search of innovative solutions (and the doping games are NOT it, just the sick illustration of the problem).
Every individual is different, but Sjostrom and Hosszu were swimming massive programs every week and being fast like 12-13 years ago.
If swimmers feel like they don’t race frequently enough that’s on them.
Now getting people to care about these smaller international meets is a different challenge.
As I said in a previous post I’m very disappointed not to see him racing in a short course championships like Euros or Worlds. We clearly see the Bowman’s shadow behind this decision with all my respect for Bob. But Léon is so strong in short course yards or meters. He might take the WR in the 400 IM, the 200 breast, the 200 fly maybe the 100IM and win the titles in these events. Next year the World championships will take place in Beijing in December 2026. Please Bob, please Léon you have to integrate this competition into your preparation and your schedule. It would be so frustrating to see Léon go through his career without racing in any… Read more »
Yeah nobody cares about sc.
I agree with that but Leon said he will focus on 200 and 400 free in training (with of couse his usual events) in long course in the perspective of future championships (euros 2026, worlds 2027?).
The fact that he’ll do the Us Open meet in Austin in December (he’ll be probably tapered considering his training in Colorado Springs in November) shows clearly emphasis on LCM swims (for the euros 2026 at home).
Really hope like you he’ll participate in scm meets in the future (2026 worlds especially), otherwise it’ll be quite frustrating and I really prefer a Lochte versatility in the two distances than Phelps only lcm dominance, especially with Leon greatness in SC.
I’m confident… Read more »
As I said in a previous post, I’m very disappointed not to see him racing in short course championships like Euros or Worlds. We clearly see the Bowman’s shadow behind this decision, with all my respect for Bob. But Léon is so strong in short course yards or meters. With a dedicated preparation, he might take the WR in the 400 IM, 200 breast, 200 fly, maybe the 100 IM. And win the titles in all these events. Next year, the World championships will take place in Beijing in December 2026. Please Bob, please Léon, you have to integrate this competition in your schedule and your preparation. It would be so frustrating to see him go through his career without… Read more »
“Copa Internacional 2025 México” Léon Marchand won the 100m breaststroke in 58:37 ahead of David Schlicht and Hubi Kos.
In short course meters ? Just 1.5 second off the french record in the 100 breast, 56.78 by Giacomo Perez-Dortona.
Yes
What did Hubi go?
Why is he able to train at the OTC if he’s not an American athlete? Just because of Bowman? Wtf
No, anybody can train at the OTC. Certain American athletes pay, but you or I could also go train there (and stay there) if we paid the fee. It’s not nearly as expensive as you’d think: https://www.usopc.org/training-centers
Just like CAR Sierra Nevada in Spain wich is owned by the spanish government i believe. Everyone from all over the world can go train there, not just Spanish athletes.
Foreigners at USA OTC? And we wonder why the men are losing vs the World!
It’s been open for international swimmers for 40 years
And back then USA men dominated. Not so much anymore! I will bet Leon doesn’t even pay to train there.
Are you going to call ICE?
I imagined it because he wasn’t among the 9 who were going to do them all, otherwise they would have chosen him, that’s why I doubt Gretchen Walsh too.
World Aquatics announced on Instagram that Gretchen will be at all three stops.