It was a glorious day in Beijing. In the start gate of the Olympic grand finale of the snowboard cross event, Eliot Grondin was feverish, but confident. “It must be the race where I was the most ready of all my life. »
The barriers fell and the snowboarder hastened to take the lead. He was caught by Alessandro Haemmerle in the curve preceding the second intermediate. The peloton then reunited; Grondin almost fell because of contact with his pursuer Omar Vinsintin. He got off his line slightly, but stuck to the leader until the very end.
Despite a final push that allowed him to embrace the track, he bit the dust at the photofinish.
A changed man
Exhausted, but overjoyed, he received his silver medal with a smile, waving his mitts at the camera that introduced him to the world. A few days later, he won the bronze medal in the mixed team event.
“It was one of the easiest races to manage. The plan was so solid before starting, ”explains the Beauceron in the middle of his final preparations before his departure for Europe and the World Cup circuit. Three days before taking off, there were few things left to settle. “My suitcases mostly stayed in Europe, so I don’t have that much to do here. »
Even if Grondin is not the type to take the lead, he believes that some things have changed since he returned from Asia with two Olympic medals around his neck.
Places that were once part of his daily life have become meeting places where he gets stopped for signatures and photo shoots.
“At first, yes you expect it, but at the same time not really. Until it happens. It’s a change I more or less expected, but it’s cool, especially when it comes from young people. »
In 2021, Grondin soared through the season by finishing second in the overall World Cup standings. Last year, even though he won the last World Cup and was on the podium more often, he had some ups and downs, mainly because he bet everything on the Olympics. He had to make choices that he does not regret in any way.
“You learn more with a race where you don’t have the expected result than with a race that you win,” he believes.
That’s why he likes to prepare for the worst. An animal of training and preparation as it is not often done, the young man likes to put himself to the test.
PHOTO ERICK LABBÉ, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVES
Éliot Grondin won two medals at the Beijing Olympics.
Comfortable in the uncomfortable
Grondin’s preparation stands out from that of most of his peers. This is how he managed to make a name for himself and rise through the ranks. He is recognized today as a formidable athlete, in large part because he decided to do things his own way.
“In training, people are always trying to pull off the fastest descents. […] »
I often do in the best times, but I take lines that don’t always make sense, I put myself in more difficult situations. That way, in the race, when I’m in trouble, since I’ve practiced it, it’s easier to stay on course.
Eliot Grondin
A tireless worker, his approach is noticed and beneficial for his teammates who rely on the 21-year-old athlete to guide them.
Before leaving for Beijing, her friend Audrey McManiman explained that “if you have a question about the course, go watch Eliot’s videos. This is the best example you could find. It’s a mixture of talent, passion and hard work”.
In a sport that belongs to veterans, Grondin acts like a free electron who has nothing to do with current trends. “It can be confusing when you’re not used to it, because it’s not easy to change the mould,” he explains.
It is without compromise that he will begin a new cycle that will lead him to the Milan Games in 2026. This will be his third Games. He was only 16 when he participated in those of PyeongChang in 2018.
At the time, he was known mainly in Beauce and around Quebec. From now on, the world belongs to him and he intends to conquer it as he has won all his medals: in his own way.