The French swimmer Leon Marchand surprised everyone by winning two gold medals in the 2024 Olympics, only two hours apart.
On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, he set a new record, winning the 200-m butterfly with a time of 1:51.21 and the 200-meter breaststroke at 2:05.85 at the same games.
Earlier on Sunday, in the 400-meter individual medley, he won the gold medal in a recorded time of 4:02.95, dethroning Michael Phelps’s Olympic record of 4:03:84 that Phelps set in the 2008 Beijing games.
Following his incredible performances in Paris, Phelps acknowledged Leon Marchand, saying, “To be able to go 1.52 and 2.05… the kid can obviously swim… the voice, the cheer… the electricity. I can’t wait to talk to him to hear what it felt like.”
"There's nothing better than standing on the podium listening to your national anthem with a gold medal around your neck..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 30, 2024
The crowd was so electric for Marchand in his home country" ~ @MichaelPhelps #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/3a9gTDzJzW
Leon is often called Michael’s potential successor in swimming, and undoubtedly, the French swimmer is proving that point with his incredible swimming skills. He is surely on the road to both athletic and financial success.
While Phelps is one of the wealthiest swimmers, with a net worth of $100 million, Leon Manchard’s promising achievements suggest he could achieve similar fame and fortune in the near future.
Leon Marchand has added thousands of dollars to his wealth, winning three gold medals, as France rewards their athlete with medal bonuses
According to a CNBC report, Leon Marchand’s country, France, offers its Olympians a prize money of $87,000 for gold, $43,000 for silver, and $22,000 for bronze medals.
So, since Leon Marchan has 3 gold medals, he has certainly amassed $261,000 as a reward. Further, he may also have been awarded with other bonuses that might be given in the form of apartments and cars.
Furthermore, Leon has also earned significant prize money from his past victories. Since his professional swimming career began in 2019, he has won five gold and one silver medal in the World Championship. Likewise, he won one Bronze medal in the World Junior Swimming Championship and two Bronze medals in the European Junior Championship, per his profile in World Aquatics.
Numerous medals in his name have obviously brought him good fortune, but the salary Leon Marchand earned as an incredible swimmer is the primary factor contributing to his net worth.
Leon has been a professional swimmer for almost five years. Sources say a professional swimmer makes an average of $90,000 annually; in that case, we believe that the rising swimmer has already made half a million dollars solely from his salary.
He also benefits from professional contracts with swimming clubs and national teams. Likewise, his role as a brand ambassador for top companies like Louis Vuitton and Omega has significantly boosted his income.
Considering such multiple sources of income and his rising career, it won’t be unjustifiable to say that the net worth of Leon Marchand is $3 million. Further, by showcasing exceptional skill in the Paris 2024 Olympics, he will surely explore additional opportunities in the coming days, exceeding his current estimation.
Additional Information
- Leon Marchand was born to Xavier Marchand and Celine Bonnet on 17 May 2002 in Toulouse, France.
- He is a member of the Arizona State University swim team and is 6 feet 2 inches in height.
- Bob Bowman, who coached Michael Phelps, also took Marchand under his wing in college in Arizona.
- Marchand became Olympic Champion in the 200-metre breaststroke, 200-metre butterfly, and 400-metre medley at the 2024 Olympics.
- Leon started swimming at the age of six, and he quickly felt at ease in the water with the Dauphins du TOEC club.
