Most of the big stars from the last Olympics will be back in the Paris pool.
Caeleb Dressel. Katie Ledecky. Ariarne Titmus. Emma McKeon.
But the local favorite may shine brightest of all.
Léon Marchand, from France has drawn comparisons to the great Michael Phelps, a link that has only been strengthened by Phelps’ longtime coach Bob Bowman overseeing the 22-year-old’s rise to prominence.
At last summer’s world championship in Fukuoka, Marchand broke Phelps’ 15-year-old world record in the 400 meter individual medley, as well as victories in the 200 meter dash and 200 meter butterfly – two more notable events for Phelps.
“Leon has a lot of things that make him a great player,” Bowman said. “He has speed and endurance. So he’s kind of got the whole package you want and so far he’s performed well under pressure, which is the other part of the equation. He has it all, really.
Marchand will also have home advantage in Paris, where swimming will be held in a temporary facility set up inside the Arena La Defensethe home of the 30,000 seat Racing 92 rugby club.
The place seems to be especially noisy every time Marchand steps onto the blocks.
“I can swim the (400) IM against the world record holder in his home country,” said Carson Foster, the top American contender. “This atmosphere is going to be electric.”
Marchand, who swam for Bowman at Arizona State, competed in four events at the Tokyo Games, with a best performance of sixth in the 400-meter individual medley.
But he emerged as one of the sport’s rising stars at the 2022 world championships in Budapest, and his performance the following year in Fukuoka only raised the stakes ahead of the Olympics in his home country.
“When I came back from Tokyo, I thought, ‘Damn, this is a game changer. Now I can beat these guys soon,’” Marchand said. “I know I can train better. I know I can improve this.”
Swimming has faced many doping scandals over the years, since the East Germans’ rise to prominence in the 1970s, driven by state-sponsored doping.
Now all eyes are on the Chinese after reports that nearly two dozen of its best swimmers have tested positive for banned substances before the Tokyo Olympics, but were allowed to compete. Five of these swimmers won medals, including three golds.
It was also revealed that three of those same Chinese swimmers had previously tested positive for a different substance but faced no ramifications.
Ledecky said many swimmers have lost faith in the World Anti-Doping Agency and can’t help but wonder whether the competition in Paris will be fair.
Phelps, who won a record 23 gold medals during his career, went before the US Congress to express your concerns.
“It is clear to me that any attempts at reform at WADA have been insufficient and there remain deep-rooted systemic problems that prove detrimental to the integrity of international sports and the right of athletes to fair competition, time and time again,” he said. he said.
The United States and Australia have long been the world’s most prominent swimming nations, fueling a rivalry that will heat up again in Paris.
Although the Americans traditionally have the strongest team, the Australians have proven themselves to be formidable opponents in recent years – especially on the women’s side.
At the 2023 World Championships, the Down Under team won 13 gold medals in swimming. The USA won seven, although they led the overall medal table 38-25.
Mollie O’Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown each won two gold medals in Fukuoka, Titmus toppled Ledecky again in the 400-meter freestyle and the Australians beat the Americans in both freestyle relays.
Australia currently holds seven world records in women’s events, including Titmus’s marks in the 200 and 400 meter freestyle.
“Certainly, the Australians are some of the best, if not the best, in the world,” said American women’s coach Todd DeSorbo. “There are many events for us in the US where we have nothing to lose. I think when you are the group, the team, the individual who has nothing to lose, you are the most dangerous.”
The most anticipated event at the pool will take place on the first night.
The women’s 400 meter freestyle will feature reigning Olympic gold medalist Titmus, 2016 champion Ledecky and Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh.
Titmus is the favorite to repeat after setting a world record last summer in Fukuoka, but Ledecky and McIntosh are determined to give him a run for the top podium spot.
Ledecky already has six individual gold medals, more than any other swimmer, and will be the favorite to win at least two more in Paris in the 800 and 1,500 freestyles. She would love to get another one by beating Titmus after settling for runner-up in Tokyo and the 2023 Worlds.
McIntosh is just 17 years old, but he has already set world records in the 400-meter freestyle and the 400-meter individual medley.
Dressel, the tattooed American who won five gold medals in Tokyo, is among the many star swimmers who have stepped away from the pool amid a growing focus on the physical and mental harm of swimming.
Fellow American Simone Manuel, the first black woman to win individual gold in swimming, was sidelined for months she recovered from overtraining syndrome. Hungarian butterfly gold medalist Kristóf Milák and British breaststroke king Adam Peaty also took long breaks to deal with personal issues.
Dressel qualified for two individual events in Paris, but will not have the chance to defend her gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle after finishing third in that race at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
He granted that her quest to regain her love of swimming is still a little elusive.
“I’m working on it,” said Dressel, who stepped away from the sport in the middle of the 2022 World Cup and only returned the following year. “I’m trying to find those moments and really enjoy them.”
The 10km marathon will be run on the River Seine, raising concerns about dirty water.
Paris organizers said the water will not be dangerous during the Olympics, but that did not ease concerns after heavy rain sent bacteria-laden waste into the river.
Dirty water is a familiar problem at the Olympics, particularly when open water has been held during the Olympics. Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games along the beaches of Copacabana.
“We were supposed to have an Olympic test event there last summer, and it was cancelled,” said American Katie Grimes, who will compete in pool and open water events in Paris. “I’m sure they know what they’re doing. They had a lot of time to figure this out. Hopefully there is a backup plan just in case.”
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