PARIS, France — Bowdoin College's Alexandre Grand'Pierre became the third member of his family to swim for Haiti in the Olympics after his 100-meter breaststroke race Saturday morning.
His sister Naomy was the first woman to swim for Haiti in the Olympics and did so in 2016. Emilie represented the country in 2021 and also swam at Bowdoin.
Grand'Pierre finished fourth in his 100m breaststroke heat with a time of 1:02.85 and failed to qualify for the semifinals. He finished a little more than two seconds off the pace of Iceland's Anton McKee who won the second heat with a time of 1:00.62. No one from that heat advanced to the semifinals. The top 16 fastest times from the five heats qualified for the semifinal round which was held Saturday afternoon local time.
The rising college senior qualified for the Olympics after finishing first in the 100-meter breaststroke at the Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championships last month. Grand'Pierre is the Haitian record holder in the 50, 100, and 200-meter breaststroke and owns the Bowdoin record in those same distances.
Grand'Pierre is coming off a very successful New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) season after winning the 50 and 100-meter breaststroke and was named as an All-American in the 100-meter breaststroke at the NCAA Division III championships.
The 100m breaststroke semifinals were held later Saturday and Great Britain's Adam Peaty had the fastest time.
The final race will be held on Sunday.