Léon Marchand is France’s swimming prodigy, multiple NCAA and World Champion, and Olympic gold medal hopeful. The 23-year-old was the first man to go 1:36 in the 200 m and 3:28 in 400 m. He is also the #1 performer all time in the 400 m  at 4:20.50, taking over the iconic Michael Phelps 4:03.50.

He comes from an athletic family and naturally being a swimming prodigy was in his DNA. However, while also training to become the best swimmer in the world, where did he complete his education?

Where Did Léon Marchand Go to College?

Marchand enrolled at Arizona State University (ASU) in fall 2021. He decided to choose ASU because of coach Bob Bowman, the legendary coach of Michael Phelps. He also studied Computer Science while competing at the NCAA level.

He comes from a long line of Olympic swimmers and his father Xavier Marchand represented France in the 200m individual medley twice, finishing 8th in 1996 and 7th in 2000. His mother, Celine, competed in four events in 1992, her best finish being 14th in the 200m individual medley.

They understood that pursuing this sport would be rewarding but also a tough decision for their son. They wanted him to complete his academics so he would have the option to pursue something else if he chose to. Leon Marchand swam at Arizona State University for three years. He then decided to train under his former ASU coach, Bob Bowman, to the University of Texas. In April, he chose to turn pro and give up his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Who Coaches Léon Marchand and Where Does He Train Now?

Léon initially trained under Nicolas Castel at TOEC Dolphins in Toulouse. He then moved to the United States, where he trained under Bob Bowman at Arizona State University from 2021 to 2024. After Bowman transferred to the University of Texas in 2025, Léon followed him there. Additionally, he briefly trained with Dean Boxall in Brisbane, Australia, in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Previously too he trained with Bowman when he was in Arizona State University. He also trained with Dean Boxall and Nicholas Castel during Bowman’s absence. Marchand decided to go back to his roots with Castel. The coach leads the charge of the Toulouse club, the TOEC Dolphins. The same place that Marchand fell in love with swimming.

Since Castel has trained Marchand before the latter as a familiar style of training with his previous coach. He’s trained with Castel until 2025. Castel has seen him evolve from a shy teenager into one of the best swimmers in the world. He said so himself in The Athletic, “Every year, I pushed him a bit more. He was quiet, but he listened to the coaches and was a quick learner. It was important to improve his coordination. Every time we set ourselves a goal, we achieved it”.

Castel has been an integer part of Marchand’s life since his initial coaching for swimming was done by him. Under Castel, Marchand won two bronze medals at the European Junior Championships in 2019. And he also won another bronze at the World Junior Championships in 2019.

What Has Léon Marchand Achieved in College Swimming?

Marchand was an NCAA Champion in multiple events: 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 breast. He set records in  400 IM NCAA and has a  U.S. Open record (3:28.82).

Marchand was also named CSCAA Swimmer of the Year twice. And led  ASU to Pac-12 and NCAA success. He established  himself as a top NCAA swimmer. In the three years that he spent in Arizona State University he acquired 10 NCAA titles.

Where Is Léon Marchand From and What Is His Family Background?

Marchand was born in Toulouse, France, on May 17, 2002. He grew up in a swimming household: his father Xavier Marchand and mother Céline Bonnet were both Olympic swimmers..

Marchand was introduced to swimming at age 6 at TOEC Dolphins club in Toulouse.Initially he also dabbled in judo and rugby before committing to swimming. Since his parents were already Olympic level swimmers, he had some of the best teachers while growing up. While he initially tried judo and rugby, Marchand began swimming at the age of six with the Dauphins du TOEC club in Toulouse. By the time he was 17 he had already achieved the French 200m butterfly title and secured a bronze medal in the 400m medley at the Junior World Championships.

How Old and Tall Is Léon Marchand in 2025?

Marchand is 23 years old as of July 2025 and his height is approximately 187 cm (6 feet 2 inches).

His weight is listed around 77–78 kg (170–172 lbs). Since he is pretty tall, his height contributes to his stream line technique,  powerful underwaters, flexible ankles, making a formidable competition.  Unlike some swimmers with very long wingspans, Marchand’s physique is more compact, allowing him to blend in with non-elite athletes, according to The New York Times.

Marchand has already geared up for the 2025 world championships. It is safe to say that he will definitely bring home some amazing medals this time as well.