Two days earlier, Léon Marchand looked untouchable. He had just clocked the fifth-fastest 400m individual medley time in history at the 2026 French Elite Swimming Championships, a statement swim that announced his return to the pool in style. Then came the 200m breaststroke heats. As the reigning Olympic champion, he was expected to breeze through. Instead, a major injury completely derailed his momentum. 

Marchand finished ninth in the heat on June 29, leaving him one place short of the eight swimmers who qualify for the A final in Saint-Étienne. However, he was promoted to the final after Carl Aitkaci later withdrew from the event. It ultimately proved irrelevant, though.

Later that day, the four-time Olympic gold medalist also pulled out of the Final (which was won by Lucien Vergnes) after it was revealed he had suffered an adductor injury during the heats. The French swimming team’s national doctor, Denis Auguin, confirmed the reports.

“Leon felt pain in his adductor. He has withdrawn from the 200m breaststroke [final] today,” Auguin said, according to France24. “[Marchand is]receiving treatment. We’ll probably have to wait until tomorrow….”

Marchand injured himself midway through his 200m heat, yet still clocked 2:16.16, well below his personal best of 1:57.58. At the time, though, it wasn’t clear why he had been so far off the pace. He chose to push through and finish the race.

The injury is a major blow to Marchand’s hopes of adding a first European Championship medal since his breakout on the world stage. The 24-year-old hasn’t competed at the European Aquatics Championships since 2021, where he failed to reach the podium. It’s one of only two senior long-course meets at which he has gone without a medal.

Since then, Marchand has dominated international swimming, winning 14 medals, including 11 golds, across the World Championships and Olympics. He had also won every 200m breaststroke race he entered in 2026, including titles at the USA Swimming Pro Swim Series, the TYR Pro Swim Series, and Speedo Fort Lauderdale, before his adductor injury in Saint-Étienne.

Marchand is slated to compete in four other events: the 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, and 400m freestyle. Whether he competes in any of them will be determined on Tuesday, as Auguin revealed. It marked the Toulouse native’s first competitive meet in France since the Paris Olympics, and his packed schedule reflected the occasion.

That appearance also marked another reminder of how much Marchand’s life has changed since Paris. In the months following his four Olympic gold medals, the French star opened up about how life has changed both in and out of the pool.

Leon Marchand reflects on life after Olympic golds

Leon Marchand entered the 2024 Paris Olympics as one of the favourites for a gold medal. Not every gold medal, but a good chance of winning one, especially given his pedigree. He was the reigning world champion and had already established himself on the international stage. He left, however, as a superstar after sweeping the four individual races he entered.

Along the way, he won gold in the 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, and 200m individual medley, breaking an Olympic record in each event. He also claimed bronze in the team relay to finish the Games with five medals. His rise has even led to the creation of a documentary series chronicling his life and journey to Paris.

Marchand opened up about how his life has changed, saying it has forced him to adjust his mindset and the way he spends his time.

“There have been a lot of positive and a lot of negative changes in my life,” Marchand told Olympics.com in 2025. “I have to plan things. I can’t just go on my own in the city and just go get some bread; I have to do different things before, after and during.

“It was a lot to handle at first, but I got used to it because I stayed in France until December of last year. But I also enjoyed it, and I know how to handle it better now. I know how to say ‘no’ better. I’m also still learning a lot. I definitely get a lot more peace when I travel out of France. I’m able to train better and just do my own thing like usual.”

Whether Leon Marchand returns later in the French Championships now depends on how quickly he recovers. For the first time since his dominant return, the Olympic champion faces uncertainty instead of another race.