Injured superstar in the spotlight: "Bad timing"

French swimming sensation Leon Marchand faces a significant setback at the European Championships in Paris, forced to withdraw from his signature medley events due to an injury. The four-time Olympic gold medalist announced he would not compete in the 200 or 400-meter medleys, two of the events where he triumphed at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"It will take about three weeks to heal the injury, so it's extremely bad timing," Marchand stated at a press conference. The decision, initially communicated on Saturday evening, was personally addressed by the swimmer on Sunday. An MRI scan conducted five days prior revealed that while the injury is approximately 70 percent healed, it is not sufficient for him to compete at his highest level.

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It will take about three weeks to heal the injury, so it's extremely bad timing.

The injury primarily affects his breaststroke, impacting his performance in the medley disciplines. Despite this, Marchand is still slated to participate in the 200-meter butterfly and the 400-meter freestyle, an event he typically does not focus on. There is also a possibility of his involvement in several relay races during the championships.

The withdrawal is a blow to the home crowd, who were anticipating another dominant performance from their star athlete. The press conference itself drew significant attention, with numerous cameras positioned to capture Marchand's every word and expression as he discussed the disappointing turn of events. The championships commence on Monday.

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I really wanted to perform here at the European Championships, but five days ago we did an MRI scan. The injury is about 70 percent healed, but it's not enough.