“I'm 21, I'm reaching my peak in my sport and the Games are at home. What more ?"
, he said in a video interview with AFP, RMC and Radio France.
Having entered another dimension since he broke Michael Phelps' 400m medley world record, the five-time world champion knows he is eagerly awaited in Paris and is preparing
"mentally and physically"
for the Olympic meeting.
“I realized it when I broke Michael (Phelps)'s record.
Immediately in my head I said to myself: +Well, the Paris Games are going to be different from what I had imagined!+ So I prepare for it every day with my mental trainer.
We are preparing for the wait and for everything that will be around me during these two weeks which will be quite intense.
It's a new challenge, but above all it's an opportunity.
I'm 21, I'm reaching my peak in my sport and the Games are at home.
What more ?
I’m not going to complain, I’m going to prepare as much as possible and I’m going to enjoy.”
And the new swimming star confessed about the images of the Olympic village and the Arena de la Défense where the competitions will take place:
“The village looks very nice, the cardboard beds, I already know so I Wasn't surprised!
The Arena, I've never been there but I've seen quite a few images.
I know that there will be a huge screen, I know how the swimming pool will be positioned in the room... And I had my cousin who worked in the building and who was on the swimming pool project, so it was funny he sent me videos.
I try to imagine things but I'm still so far away that it's not easy.
But it’s good, it will still be a bit of a surprise and I’ll be happy to find out when I get there.”
And Leon Marchand assures us regarding the pressure that will surround him in a few months:
“No, I'm not afraid of all that.
I will be happy and happy to go home, see my family and spend time with them for the preparation.
I'm quite happy to be able to go back.
I am excited about returning to France and preparing for the Games.
I'm going to try to be a little more open in terms of meeting people, signing autographs and sharing a little more... Last year I took advantage but I was very closed to the idea to stay focused on my competition and I think I lost a lot of energy.
We saw at the end of the competition, I had less energy in my races, and a little less smiling too.
So I'm going to try to manage it differently.
But it's true that the French Championships are not easy for me because it's no longer like before.
Before, I was unknown, I did my little races, my little finals and I went home.
That’s not the same thing.”