Add yet another honor for French superstar Leon Marchand.
After captivating his home country and the world by winning four gold medals at last summer’s Paris Olympics, Marchand was recently named to the list of the world’s most influential people of 2025 by TIME Magazine.
Marchand’s tribute in the article was written by another swimmer who gained fame and world acclaim in Paris for a four-medal performance, Canadian Summer McIntosh.
Last year, McIntosh herself was named to TIME’s most influential people list.
“First, he dominated the 400-m individual medley, winning gold by over 5 seconds,” McIntosh wrote. “He then went on to become the first swimmer ever to achieve Olympic record-breaking, back-to-back individual gold medals in the 200-m butterfly and 200-m breaststroke—each within a couple hours of each other. His fourth win? The 200-m individual medley, another broken record. I have so much respect for the incredible work and dedication that went into Léon’s preparation to be the world’s best across multiple races, including some of the toughest events in our sport. “Everyone in the building felt the energy when Léon was racing. The crowd would roar each time his head broke the surface of the water. His performance at the 2024 Olympics inspires the entire world of sport to bring your best when your best is required. To be able to do that under the pressure of a home crowd is nothing short of sensational. Léon is simply unstoppable.”
Marchand set two Olympic and European records in Paris when he won the 200 IM (1:54.06) and 200 breaststroke (2:05.85). He also set Olympic records in winning the 400 IM (4:02.95) and 200 fly (1:51.21).
After extinguishing the flame in the closing ceremony of the Paris Games, Marchand took a brief break, but is back training at the University of Texas in Austin under coach Bob Bowman.
Marchand’s profile on TIME can be seen here. Gymnast Simone Biles and basketball player Breanna Stewart were the other Paris Olympians named to the list. Katie Ledecky was named on the list in 2016.
We love Léon Marchand and this distinction, which conveys a lot of values, not necessarily pecuniary, suits him well. Incidentally, we should note that TIME called upon Summer McIntosh to write a lovely little text under his photo; it’s a kind of beautiful tribute that also confirms, in some way, the power that this 18-year-old young woman already possesses.