Léon Marchand conquered the Paris Olympics by winning 4 individual gold medals in the 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley, and 400m individual medley. But rather than repeating the same program that made him an Olympic superstar, the Frenchman has begun training for the 400m freestyle ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This move has caught the attention of Australian Olympian Sam Short, who remains confident in his chances if the pair were to meet over 400 meters.

On June 29, during an appearance on the Night Swim with Dax & Elvis podcast, Sam Short was asked about Léon Marchand’s growing interest in the 400m freestyle. While acknowledging the French star’s immense talent, the Australian made it clear that he still backs himself over the distance.

“He’ll belt me to 200. 400 I reckon I’ve got him. But if he starts training for it specifically, who knows what that kid can do. He’s a bit of a freak. But at the moment, if he’s doing everything else, I back myself.”

But Short’s confidence comes from his history as well as from his recent experience running against Marchand. Short’s dominance was on display in the 400m freestyle at the TYR Pro Swim Series on March 7th, 2026, in Westmont, Illinois. The Australian completed the race in a record Pro Swim Series time of 3:43.49 to beat Marchand by 0.01sec for fourth place in 3:48.79.

The outcome helped to confirm Short’s position as one of the world’s leading 400m freestyle swimmers. He first announced himself on the global stage at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, where he captured gold in the event with a time of 3:40.68.

His rise has only continued since then. At the 2026 Australian Trials, Short swept the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle titles, becoming the first Australian since Hackett to complete the feat at the national championships. The standout performance came in the 400m freestyle, where he clocked 3:40.67, finishing less than a second shy of the world record and within touching distance of Ian Thorpe’s legendary Australian and Commonwealth mark of 3:40.08.

That pursuit of Thorpe’s record remains one of Short’s biggest motivations. “It’s definitely one of my goals and something I’m chasing. I love watching those races from back in the day. I kind of geek out on them… I love to visualise him … from before I was even born … crazy.”

With his sights firmly set on history, Short has established himself as one of the world’s premier 400m freestylers. That is why his assessment of Marchand carries weight.

Léon Marchand’s freestyle experiment begins with LA28 in mind

After winning four individual gold medals at the Paris Olympics, Léon Marchand didn’t want to go down the same route for the next Olympic cycle. Rather, the French superstar has set his sights on a new challenge in 400m and has shifted his focus to freestyle to expand his reach for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Speaking to Le Monde, Marchand explained that his motivation was simple. “I don’t want to do exactly the same things again.” He revealed that he began what he called a “freestyle challenge” in January and is eager to find out just how far he can push himself in an event outside the disciplines that made him a four-time Olympic champion. “I started this freestyle challenge in January.”

For Marchand, the move is more than just a matter of adding another race to his schedule. The 400m freestyle provides the chance to extend the individual medley, butterfly and breaststroke events. Just as importantly, it provides a fresh goal after years of success at the highest level.

The project is still in its infancy, but there have already been promising signs. At the TYR Pro Swim Series in Westmont, Marchand finished fourth in the 400m freestyle and posted a personal best of 3:48.79. He also raced the 200m freestyle as part of his growing commitment to the discipline.

Although that time remains well outside the range of the world’s leading 400m freestylers, those around the French star view the event as a long-term investment rather than an immediate medal target. With two years remaining until the Los Angeles Olympics, Marchand’s focus is less on instant results and more on discovering how much potential he has in one of swimming’s most demanding races.