Léon Marchand: the impressive pace of a champion who consumes 10,000 calories a day!
Swimming, for all its attractions, is often perceived as a demanding and sometimes difficult sport to enjoy. The endless hours of training required to achieve excellence can discourage many. Léon Marchand, despite his success and recent election as Champion of Champions 2024 by L'Equipe (A French sport magazine), is not immune to certain frustrations. While his love for his sport remains intact, he admits that the constraints associated with such intensive training, particularly in terms of diet, can be particularly burdensome. Having chosen to pursue his intensive swimming training in the USA, he has had to adapt, far from his native city Toulouse...
A demanding discipline
In the USA, where he trains, Léon is confronted with strict dietary rules. In order to maintain sufficient energy levels for his morning workouts, he is obliged to eat as early as 5 a.m., long before hunger strikes. For example, he often starts his day with oatmeal, followed by a post-workout meal, a nap, and then several other meals throughout the day. This cadence imposes a total of five daily meals, a rhythm he describes as "not easy".
This diet is not only a question of quantity, but also of necessity. Athletes like him have to compensate for the calories burned during intense effort, a challenge particularly acute in swimming, where energy expenditure is extremely high. Despite the difficulties, Léon retains his love for the discipline, although he admits that this dietary constraint is one of the most testing aspects of his daily life as a champion.
The U.S. is a tough place for athletes
For Léon Marchand, adapting to the American way of life has been particularly complex in terms of diet. Contrary to what one might expect in a country where university sport is an institution, the food supply is often ill-adapted to the needs of top-level athletes. Léon describes an environment where food is predominantly fatty, sweet or fried, a problem for those who depend on a healthy, balanced diet to optimize their performance.
"When I arrived at university in the United States, I was with all the students in the canteen. I ate fries and sandwiches every day. Not so great..."
A personal chef, a luxury turned necessity
The chef he chose was no stranger to the sports world. It was the chef of Chris Paul, famous NBA player then with the Phoenix Suns. This professional created customized meals for the Frenchman, initially inspired by the menus he prepared for the basketball player. However, the nutritional needs of a top-level swimmer, particularly during periods of intensive training, differ from those of a basketball player. Léon soon realized that he consumed ready-made meals much more quickly, requiring an adaptation to incorporate more starch and protein.
This choice, although costly, represented an essential comfort for the swimmer. With access to balanced, adapted meals, Léon could maintain his performance without suffering the negative effects of an inadequate diet. Nothing can be left to chance in a world where every detail counts when striving for excellence.
