Leon Marchand Slept 11 Hours Before the 200 IM Final in Paris

High performance takes a lot of work both in and out of the pool. At an Olympic Games, there are added factors like media obligations, drug testing, and odd eating hours that can make getting the proper recovery challenging.

This didn’t seem to be a problem for Leon Marchand in his home country of France, where he won 4 gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His coach, Bob Bowman, revealed that the Flying Frenchman actually slept for 11 hours the night before his final individual race, the 200 IM.

Watch SwimSwam’s full interview with Bob Bowman here.

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Light n’ aesthetic
19 days ago

Unfair. Just like Michael Phelps and the schedule change just for him and 2008 Olympics

Awsi Dooger
1 month ago

6 hundredths too many

Andrew
1 month ago

Must be nice when your government systemically undermines your competition by making the living conditions absolute hell

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Andrew
1 month ago

I still can’t fathom the death toll from athletes in Paris. Truly staggering.

Adriana Patino
Reply to  Steve Nolan
1 month ago

I agree, the complete lack of Covid precautions, the horrible conditions of the Village, everything was just an absolute mess. Heartbreaking for those of us who know the level of dedication, discipline and sacrifice that it takes to compete at an international level, let alone the OLYMPICS! France should be ashamed.

Light n’ aesthetic
Reply to  Adriana Patino
19 days ago

Real

Kazkarson
Reply to  Andrew
1 month ago

Yup the Italian medalist even had to sleep in the park

Light n’ aesthetic
Reply to  Andrew
19 days ago

That’s really unfair, as like didn’t they create the Olympics to ignore the political world, and we now have Russia that can’t even compete because of the war.

Master blaster
1 month ago

That’s because he wasn’t in the noisy, uncomfortable Olympic village, but probably in a posh private Villa with a high end mattress,white noise, room darkening shades and a working AC that kept a cool room temperature of 65 degrees. It’s no coincidence that he performed at his peak. I’m sure his accommodations were planned for months ahead.

Wolfpack March Motor
Reply to  Master blaster
1 month ago

That sounds like any college apartment in the United States, so nothing new for Marchand. I hope they have normal (by American standards) accommodations in LA 2028

Jeff
Reply to  Master blaster
1 month ago

by the sounds of it, Marchand was having his 11 hour sleep a lot closer to the pool than the 45 minutes or so it took the others to get there from the village.

RealCrocker5040
1 month ago

While Ryan Lochte got wasted until 5 hours before his Shanghai 200 IM final

Christine Breedy
1 month ago

I haven’t been able to sleep 11 hours SINCE I retired from swimming-and that was in 1988-

Plainjane
1 month ago

I wish I could sleep 11 hours

I swim like a dog
1 month ago

JLo is jealous. She sleeps for 8 hours only.

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