Leon Marchand, the French athlete and newly crowned international superstar, has drawn comparisons to the legendary Michael Phelps and made history by becoming the first swimmer from his nation to win more than one individual gold medal in a single Olympic Games.
What’s even more remarkable is that he achieved this feat by winning gold in both the butterfly and breaststroke events — all in one night.
With his rising fame, fans are naturally curious about Leon’s personal life, including details about his parents (both former Olympic swimmers!) and whether he is dating anyone. Here’s what we know.
Leon is known for being very shy, despite the intense media attention he receives. Given his reserved nature, even on the medal stand, it’s not surprising that his love life remains a mystery.
There are no articles confirming whether Leon is dating anyone — or if he is even in a relationship at all. The gold medalist may be single, but it’s anyone’s guess, as Leon has kept quiet on the subject.
Even a glance through his Instagram reveals little about his personal life. His posts are focused on his sport, numerous achievements, and the rigorous training he undergoes both in and out of the pool.
One post from 2019 shows Leon with his younger brother while on vacation, and it seems that his sibling is one of the few people Leon is comfortable sharing details about with his fans — if sharing photos counts as details.
Perhaps coach Nicolas Castel’s perspective sheds light on why Leon is so private about his personal life: “We are trying to protect him from everything. We want him to focus on what he has to do.”
Leon echoed this sentiment during a press conference before the Olympics, where he talked about his preparation, saying, “I was in my family cocoon. I’m still trying to take it step by step.
It’s true that since returning to France, I’ve thought more and more about Paris with the media, with the pressure, with the people who talk to me about it.” Leon Marchand’s parents were Olympic swimmers, too.
In addition to his younger brother, Leon was raised by his parents, Xavier Marchand and Celine Bonnet.
Leon’s father is a world silver medalist and a former Olympian. Celine, meanwhile, competed in the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona. Leon’s uncle, Christophe Marchand, also competed in those games.
Understanding the challenges of competitive swimming, Celine initially discouraged her son from pursuing the sport.
“We told him, no, don’t do swimming, it’s too hard. No holidays, every day. But he wants to do it,” she shared with Swimming World.
While Xavier takes pride in his son’s achievements, he and his wife value Leon’s enjoyment of the sport above all. “We want him only to swim with pleasure, with a smile. It’s more important for us,” Xavier told.
