Paul Rouget, Media365: published on Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 11:15
Léon Marchand’s popularity has not waned since the Toulouse swimmer’s exploits at the Paris Games…
Félix Lebrun is not the only French star from the recent Games to receive marriage proposals. Léon Marchand also has. While he trains in the United States, from Austin, and recently had the chance to meet with the French national football team during their American tour, the four-time Olympic gold medalist from Paris is still a member of his lifelong club in Toulouse, the Dauphins du TOEC, who are highly sought after by fans of the global swimming superstar.
The letters keep coming. “Today, we still receive about fifteen a month. Sometimes it’s double, depending on the periods,” said General Manager Michel Coloma to La Dépêche. He continued, “About 70% of the mail he receives comes from China, with some also coming from Germany, England, and the United States.”
Many admirers in China
While he may no longer be the favorite personality of children, he is considered the “sexiest” French athlete according to a poll published at the end of December. The Toulousain has even received marriage proposals from two Chinese admirers… And that’s not all.
“There was also a time when high school girls called the Dauphins du TOEC reception every day to ask for Léon’s phone number,” Coloma added. But how does he handle this enduring popularity following his Parisian achievements?
Marchand: “I’m not cut out for this by nature”
When asked about it last year by RMC, he admitted that all the fan requests were draining his energy. “When I have to say thank you to many people on the street for everything they say to me, take many photos… All of that, it’s not much, but when you experience it every day, it drains your energy… It doesn’t go away because I give it to people, but I’m not cut out for it by nature. It’s not something that excites me. It’s more something I have to do on top of everything, it’s a bonus, a job in itself,” he confessed.
