At Paris 2024, Léon Marchand did something no swimmer had done before. On a single extraordinary evening at La Défense Arena, the 22-year-old Frenchman won gold in the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke within 70 minutes of each other — and that was after already claiming gold in the 400m individual medley. He finished Paris with four individual gold medals and became the face of the 2024 Games. Now, with LA 2028 on the horizon, the question is: can anyone stop him?
The Marchand Phenomenon
Trained under Bob Bowman — the legendary coach who also guided Michael Phelps — Marchand combines rare technical precision with an extraordinary aerobic engine. His 400m IM world record of 4:02.50, set at the 2023 World Championships, remains one of the most dominant performances in swimming history.
What makes Marchand uniquely dangerous is his versatility. While most elite swimmers specialise in one or two strokes, Marchand competes — and wins — across butterfly, breaststroke, and individual medley at world record pace. That multi-event ability is essentially Michael Phelps-level, and it raises the prospect of him winning five or six gold medals in Los Angeles.
The Challengers
Hubert Kos (Hungary) — 200m Backstroke
The Hungarian teenager burst onto the scene at Paris 2024, winning the 200m backstroke gold in a world record. At LA 2028 he’ll be 23 — prime age — and represents the clearest threat to Marchand, albeit in a different event.
Qin Haiyang (China) — Breaststroke
China’s breaststroke specialist and world record holder in the 200m breaststroke will be Marchand’s biggest rival in that event. Their head-to-head at LA 2028 could be one of the defining rivalries of the Games.
Carson Foster (USA) — IM Events
The American IM specialist and 2023 World bronze medallist will have home crowd advantage in Los Angeles. He’s been training to close the gap on Marchand, and four years of development could make him a genuine medal threat.
Kristóf Milák (Hungary) — Butterfly
The butterfly world record holder and Olympic silver medallist behind Marchand in Paris. Milák’s power in the 100m and 200m fly makes him dangerous, though Marchand’s butterfly has continued to improve.
Can Anyone Beat Him?
The honest answer is: it’s hard to see it happening in the IM events. Marchand’s margin of victory in Paris was not just winning — it was winning by comfortable margins in multiple events on the same day. His recovery ability is exceptional.
In the breaststroke, Qin Haiyang is the best bet for an upset. The Chinese swimmer has the world record and the tactical intelligence to push Marchand to his absolute limit.
But if Marchand stays healthy and continues working with Bowman, Los Angeles could witness the greatest individual swimming performance in Olympic history. Five golds is not an unrealistic projection.
What Marchand Has Said
“I don’t think about LA 2028 as something far away,” Marchand said at a recent press conference. “Every training session is a step toward it. I want to be better in 2028 than I was in Paris — and I know what I need to work on.”
Follow Medal & More for ongoing coverage of Léon Marchand’s 2026-2028 preparations and the LA 2028 swimming preview.
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