As the unstoppable Léon Marchand secured his fourth individual gold medal within just six days, the 59-year-old American coach pivotal to the Paris Olympics found himself in tears on the pool deck.
The 22-year-old from Toulouse had just claimed gold in all four events he participated in, triumphing in the 400m individual medley, then capturing the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke on the same evening, and finishing with the 200m medley on Friday, setting Olympic-record times in every race. One night after another, Marchand transformed the converted rugby arena situated in the western suburbs of Paris into a pulsating cacophony of excitement, captivating a nation of 68 million.
None of this may have been feasible without Bob Bowman, the most accomplished coach in US swimming, renowned for identifying Michael Phelps at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, honing his raw talent into a champion before guiding him to 23 Olympic golds and 28 overall. Now, Bowman has struck gold once more with another swimming prodigy whose future shines bright.
“It’s an incredible series of events,” he stated. “I feel as if he accomplished everything we could have possibly anticipated from him in this atmosphere, in this kind of lead-up and preparation. He couldn’t have managed himself any better in the intervals between all the races. So it was simply a total success … He’s just 100% successful. I couldn’t be prouder of him; it requires a lot to be perfect.”
Four years ago, shortly after starting his coaching position at Arizona State University, Bowman received an email from a French teenager aspiring to study and train in the United States.
Dear sir, I am a French swimmer, my name is Léon Marchand (18 years old). I wish to join the University of Arizona State in summer 2021 to swim and compete in NCAA with your incredible team. Do you think I could qualify for a scholarship? What educational criteria are needed? (TOEFL, SAT …) Please find attached my presentation sheet. Thank you for considering my application.
Sportingly, Léon
Bowman had not previously heard of the sender, but recognized the family name and correctly inferred that his parents were swimmers. The coach, who was attempting to develop a national contender from scratch at the Tempe school, replied.
Following a series of Skype calls that left both sides impressed, Marchand accepted a full scholarship with the Sun Devils, establishing a partnership that yielded 10 individual National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles across three seasons and the first NCAA team title for the Sun Devils. When Bowman departed Arizona for a position at the University of Texas in the spring, Marchand undertook a 1,000-mile journey to Austin to continue working under him.
Shortly thereafter, Bowman, who had served as the head coach for the US swimming team just last summer at the world championships in Fukuoka, joined the French coaching staff as an assistant, allowing him to work with Marchand leading up to a home Olympics. This move raised eyebrows back in the U.S., where Bowman has been a mainstay on the pool deck for American teams, either as an assistant or head coach, for two decades.
By stepping away from his US coaching responsibilities, Bowman is now free to coach athletes irrespective of nationality. This includes American backstroker Regan Smith, who secured three individual silver medals and two relay golds in Paris and frequently trains alongside Marchand. The same goes for Hungarian Hubert Kos, who captured gold in the 200m backstroke on Thursday.
“The magic touch is the work,” Kos remarked about Bowman. “He doesn’t allow us to fall short. He insists we don’t settle for a level beneath what he desires from us. That draws out the best in us.”
All of this set the stage for the past week, during which Marchand turned La Défense Arena into the backdrop for his monumental masterpiece. France international footballer Antoine Griezmann was amongst the fervent supporters when Marchand claimed victory in the 400m individual medley last Sunday for his first gold. When he completed the sweep on Friday, matching a record set by Phelps and Mark Spitz, television cameras captured French President Emmanuel Macron cheering enthusiastically.
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Perhaps the pinnacle of Bowman’s week occurred on Wednesday when Marchand unseated two Olympic champions – Hungary’s Kristof Milak in the 200m butterfly and Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook in the 200m breaststroke – within a span of 90 minutes. This achievement made him the fourth swimmer in history to capture two individual golds in a single day, a feat last accomplished by East Germany’s Kornelia Ender in 1976.
“I’m so proud of him,” Bowman expressed. “I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed anyone win two individual events [in the same session]. Tonight was incredible; he’ll never forget it. Frankly, this entire meet is about fulfilling a promise I made to a young man three years ago, and delivering on that because it was not just a challenge for him; it was an enormous challenge for me.
“Putting it together and witnessing it come to fruition has been incredibly gratifying to be able to assist him in reaching this milestone.”
After completing the historic sweep on Friday night, Marchand stated he intends to continue training with Bowman. “We shared unforgettable experiences here. We’ve put in an immense amount of work over the past three years. I’m uncertain how the next phase of my career will unfold. I believe he will be instrumental in guiding me with that since he has extensive knowledge about it.”
If humility were an Olympic discipline, Marchand might have rightfully earned a fifth gold in that moment. The duo will now shift their focus to the Los Angeles Olympics in four years, where swimming will take place before record audiences of 38,000 at SoFi Stadium, home of the NFL’s LA Rams and Chargers. Ever optimistic, Bowman remarked that Marchand is just at the beginning and may also compete in additional events by then, including the 100m butterfly, as his physical prowess matures over time.
“He can improve,” asserted Bowman, who already places Marchand among the greatest in swimming history. “He has not yet tapped into his potential. He can undoubtedly swim faster than this. I’m considering him at the top right now because he possesses the complete package. He has the speed, the endurance, and excels in underwater techniques.”
