What's next for France's golden swimmer Léon Marchand? 'Watch some sports'

PARIS (AP) — Léon Marchand isn't ready to rest just yet.

The 22-year-old French swimmer who won five medals — four of them gold — is eager to soak in the Olympic atmosphere and make the most of his time in Paris.

“I’ll try to watch some sports,” Marchand said Monday when asked about his plans. “It’s not easy because I have to do business now. And I have a new life, so it won’t be easy to be in the stands with everyone else. But yes, I’m at the Games and I want to enjoy it.”

He's particularly excited about catching some basketball and volleyball, as well as the track and field 200 meters finals.

But after the Games, Marchand is looking forward to some much-needed down time.

“Then I will take some vacation next week and celebrate with my family,” he said.

Marchand’s name has been synonymous with success during the Summer Games. So much so that many French fans are describing him as the face of the Olympics for the host country.

Marchand, who received congratulations from French President Emmanuel Macron poolside, admitted that navigating his newfound fame will be a challenge.

“This new stardom will be weird for me. This is coming down on me in less than a week,” he said. “I’m very reserved, I’m very shy, I’m not very good at speaking in public. I’d rather be at home with my parents than on the podium in front of 15,000 people.”

On Monday, Marchand’s journey was celebrated at Club France in Paris, where he was greeted by the cheers of about 25,000 fans.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games