Throughout his competitive swimming career, Bernard took home four Olympic medals for France, two of which were gold medals. “I feel like someone who is at peace with all the hard work over many years. It took a long time to reach these results,” he said.
On his plans for 2020, he revealed, “I am working with Michale Phelps’ brand, MP Brand, to promote the brand and develop the products. During the summer, I organize training camps with young swimmers for five weeks and I develop infrastructures in the country to teach children to swim.”
Bernard was drawn to competitive swimming since he loved to feel the atmosphere before a race, as well as to “build a plan to progress.” “It was so exciting,” he admitted.
He listed freestyle as his personal favorite stroke, though he did swim the individual medley (IM) when he was younger, up until the age of 17.
For young and aspiring swimmers, he said, “I just want to say that the time flies so fast so work hard, believe that the time you do today can be broken, so try to go faster.”
When asked about his career-defining moments in the sport, he said, “Of course, not the good times but I failed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 2004 because I was sick and it was a bad memory for me, however, this event conditioned my success four years later in Beijing.”
On the impact of technology on the sport of swimming over the years, he said, “It’s a very good thing to use this kind of technology but the most important is the relationship between coach and athletes. This measure of the movement, many analyses can be used in this way to share about one specific part of the performance.”
He also opened up about the International Swimming League (ISL) and how it has helped promote the sport of swimming. “I think is a good thing but it’s only possible, for the time being since someone funding this event. Hope we can find an agreement with many federations and private sponsors. In the US, UK or Australia I think Swimming is recognized by the population but in France, it is not the same thing.”
Bernard defined the word success as follows: “For me, success is the capacity to realize that what we have built. Success is not associated with the best time in the world, a medal or anything like that. Success is possible for everyone, at all levels. The most important is to feel at peace with all the choices we have done.”
For his fans, he concluded, “I can never say ‘thank you’ enough for their support. It was an amazing part of my life and I wish everyone to live off half of it.”
To learn more about French swimmer and Olympic medalist Alain Bernard, check out his official website.
