Carson Foster and Léon Marchand’s swimming rivalry, which developed long before the 2024 Paris Olympics, continues to evolve. While the two clashed at the NCAA and world levels, they met again in Paris, where Marchand claimed five Olympic medals and Foster secured two. With the Olympics now over, the two will soon train together at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
Foster recently appeared on the Social Kick podcast, where he discussed training with his French rival, acknowledging Marchand’s busy schedule with World Cups and short course worlds ahead. Marchand will eventually train in Texas due to his coach, Bob Bowman, moving to the Texas Longhorns as Head Coach and Director of Swimming after a successful stint at Arizona State University. Foster expressed excitement about the opportunity to train with Marchand, although the two have only had casual conversations at meets thus far.
Marchand’s move to the United States stemmed from his performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he missed the podium in all his events. Determined to improve, he reached out to Bowman, who accepted him into the Arizona State program. Marchand’s time in the U.S. came with a culture shock but ultimately led to success, including four gold medals and one silver at the Paris Olympics.
Marchand shared his admiration for Bowman’s dedication, noting how he maximized the limited training hours due to NCAA regulations. Despite his busy schedule, Marchand will join Foster and Bowman in Texas at the start of the new year, marking the next chapter in this developing riv
alry.
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