Courtsey of Brian Beard

This summer, Alexandre Grand’Pierre ’25 competed in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, representing Haiti, in the 100m breaststroke.

He adds the title of Olympic athlete to an already established list of other accolades in the sport, including NESCAC Men’s Swimming and Diving Rookie of the Year for the 2021-2022 season, multi-time NESCAC champion, NCAA Division III All-American, Haitian record holder in the men’s 100m, 50m and 200m breaststroke as well as the men’s 200m individual medley.

Although Grand’Pierre did not grow up in Haiti, he joined the Haitian national swimming team in 2019. In anticipation of this year’s Olympics, Grand’Pierre expanded his training program, gaining experience at global competitions in Japan, Qatar and Mexico, where he ultimately raced his Olympic qualifying time.

Grand’Pierre was grateful for the constant support from Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s Swimming Brad Burnham, as well as his teammates, professors and peers across campus during his preparation for the Paris Games.

“During the offseason, I was in the water every single day. Me and my head coach Brad came up with a training regimen for me to follow.… My swim teammates would come in the water with me because they know the workouts are tough to do on your own,” Grand’Pierre said.

Support came not just from Bowdoin, but also the people of Haiti.

“At smaller meets, you’re just there, by yourself, and so you don’t get that reminder [of representing something bigger] until you go to … the Olympics where you get such a massive outreach of support and encouragement from [Haiti’s] diaspora or political leaders or family and friends,” Grand’Pierre said.

Grand’Pierre also commented on what competing on behalf of Haiti meant for him.

“Given current events and [Haiti’s] relationship with France… I just thought it was a special opportunity to positively showcase the country.” Grand’Pierre said. “So in the back of my mind I [knew] to make sure I presented myself well, always had a big smile, because you never knew who [will be] watching and when pictures [will be] taken.”

After countless hours of hard work, Grand’Pierre was eager to arrive in Paris to compete. He emphasized the fun, hectic environment of the Olympic Village.

“Once I got into the Village it was craziness,” Grand’Pierre said. “There are people you need to see, things you need to sign, pictures need to be taken.… The first two days I was just running around.”

After the fast-paced arrival activities slowed, Grand’Pierre was able to explore the Olympic Village over 18 days in Paris. He said the most impactful aspect of staying in the Village was encountering countless athletes from across the world also living out their lifelong dream.

“Every single person in that village had to overcome an insurmountable amount of setbacks and challenges.… There were 10,000 athletes, and to think there are 10,000 unique stories to all get to this place all at the same time was really special,” Grand’Pierre said.

On race day, Grand’Pierre entered La Defense Arena with a positive mindset, looking to simply enjoy the opportunity and not fixate on the outcome. He commented on his thought process during the final minutes in the ready room.

“In a couple minutes I’m going to walk out this door and face thousands of people and become an Olympian, that’s crazy,” Grand’Pierre said.

Grand’Pierre raced in the second heat of the men’s 100m breaststroke. He finished in fourth place with a time of 1:02.85, missing the cut-off for the semifinals.

“It wasn’t my fastest race… but I was competitive,” he said. “Once you get out of the water your results don’t matter anymore.…  You are [now] a part of this community of people who have all shared this incredible experience.”

Grand’Pierre joins a selective list of nine Polar Bear athletes to compete in an Olympic Games, alongside his older sister, Emilie Grand’Pierre ’23, who raced—also in the 100m breaststroke—as a part of the Haitian national team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Now that the Games have passed, Grand’Pierre looks forward to a slower-paced lifestyle on campus but won’t forget the lessons he learned in Paris.

“I want to bring the energy and the excitement that I saw at the Olympics … back to every single practice and every single meet we go to. It’s just a blessing to compete,” Grand’Pierre said.