Most of the big stars from the last Olympics will be back at the pool in Paris.
Caeleb Dressel. Katie Ledecky. Ariarne Titmus. Emma McKeon.
But the local favorite might just shine brightest of them all.
France's Lon Marchand has drawn comparisons to the great Michael Phelps, a link that was only strengthened by Phelps' longtime coach, Bob Bowman, overseeing the 22-year-old's rise to prominence.
At last summer's world championships in Fukuoka, Marchand broke Phelps' 15-year-old world record in the 400-meter individual medley, to go along with victories in the 200 IM and 200 butterfly two more of Phelps' signature events.
Leon has several things that make him a great, Bowman said. He has speed and he has endurance. So he kind of has the whole package that you want, and so far he's done well under pressure, which is the other piece of that equation. He has it all really.
Marchand will also have the home-pool advantage in Paris, where the swimming will be contested in a temporary ..
