Exclusive Interview on His Career, Training, and Olympic Journey

Proust Questionnaire, Gymnastics Style

In the world of gymnastics, athletes from various backgrounds showcase their talents on the global stage. Among these athletes is Pierre Yvenel Stephan, who was born in Haiti in 2000 and moved to France when he was 3 years old. He’s the first ever Haitian male gymnast to represent his country in the history of artistic gymnastics and took part to the Pan American Championships in Medellin, Colombia and to the Paris Challenge Cup in 2023. He’s been training at the Pôle France d’Antibes on the French Riviera and is licensed to the Vallauris club, reigning French Top 12 champion.

Beyond his individual achievements, Stephan’s impact extends to his role as an ambassador for gymnastics in Haiti. He has been instrumental in advocating for increased support and investment in gymnastics programs, aiming to provide opportunities for aspiring athletes in his homeland. Through workshops, demonstrations, and outreach initiatives, Stephan strives to inspire the next generation of Haitian gymnasts. In 2024, he’ll compete in the World Cup series to get a chance to win a spot to the Olympic Games in Paris.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Make sure my loved ones lack nothing and be in good health

What is your greatest fear?

Not living up to my ambitions

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Fake people

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Anxiety

Which talent would you most like to have?

Fast recovery

When and where were you happiest?

When I was a little kid: I could go to school and then train, and then I could go home every evening

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Knowing that you’re stuck in in a miserable situation, and not trying or being able to get out of it

What is it that you most dislike?

Injustice

What is your greatest regret?

Maybe it’s not my biggest regret, but i’m very disappointed to have hurt myself in the top 12 before the 2023 Pan American Championships: I could have competed in the World Championships in Antwerp and the Pan American Games later that year

What would you do if you won 100 million dollars?

I’d keep 10 millions for myself, then I’d give to my loved ones depending on their needs, and I’d invest the rest as a business angel in the stock market, crypto, real estate, etc.. to continue to make all that profitable.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Contribute to the history of Haiti on several levels throughout my career

How would you like to die?

Happy and accomplished

Which gymnast do you most admire?

King Kōhei (JPN) and Alexey Nemov (RUS)

What’s your favorite apparatus to do and/or to watch?

My favorite apparatus remains the High Bar even though there have been a lot of falls and accidents

Which gymnastics competition do you have the best memory of?

I have several with my Vallauris team: the Top 12 competition in Lille, France in December 2023 was very funny. Also the victory of Vallauris in the Top 12 season 2022/23. On the international level, it was the Paris Challenge Cup in September last year.

Who’s the funniest gymnast you know?

My friends are funny, I couldn’t say which one is the funniest because they’re all special and different

What do you like best about gymnastics?

Certainly not the pain! The feeling of flying when you soar through the air

What do you dislike most about gymnastics?

Pain

If you could change something is artistic gymnastics?

Removing the rings; it’s too hard for big guys like me

Your next objective?

Enjoy the whole 2024 qualification process and use it as a platform to promote Haiti and showcase the incredible allure of this country. I mean, let’s face it, my mere existence in the upcoming World Cups is to spark conversations about my homeland and get people buzzing about it. Despite tangoing with a bunch of challenges, Haiti is dripping with cultural riches, a rock-solid heritage, and a feisty resilience vibe.

You know, there were moments in my career when I could have thrown in the towel due to tough times and a few mishaps. But I took a deep breath, asked myself the important “why” questions: why am I in this game? Why do I drag myself out of bed every morning? When I talk about “enjoying the whole 2024 process,” I’m talking about revisiting those reasons and feelings that got me hooked on this sport as a carefree kid, unburdened by the stress of competition.

Then, when I made it to the French national team, oh boy, the stress kicked in, and I was heaping pressure on myself for this, that, and the other. But now, I aim to step onto the international stage, soak up the joy of the sport, all while proudly representing Haiti and, who knows, snagging a spot for Paris 2024. That would be the “icing on the cake”… or should I say the “cherry on the couscous”!

What do you want to do after you retire as a competing gymnast?

Develop the sports in Haiti and do everything I can to help people locate my country on a map. Play a larger part to the Haitian federation of gymnastics and to promote it worldwide.

More info about Pierre : https://www.spotgym.fr/le-franco-haitien-pierre-stephan-premier-gymnaste-a-matcher-pour-haiti/

Gymnasts Interviews: Zhoxxyy gymnasts interviews

The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions named after French writer Marcel Proust. It is believed that people reveal their true nature in answering these questions and it is often used in modern interviews. The questionnaire has been adapted to fit the world of artistic gymnastics.