University of Chicago swimmer Naomy Grand’Pierre represented Haiti at the Olympics this year. She didn’t win a first-place medal, but she represented Haiti with class, determination and dignity. For this, she can be declared a winner!

Photo Credit: Brian Cassella

What’s next for her? She’s a sophomore at the University, and she will continue taking classes towards the completion of her degree.

She was quite visible at the Olympics, and received lots and lots of press. I hope she gets approached with a sponsorship deal or two!

Prior to the Olympics, Naomy had revealed that her interest in swimming started after one of her cousins drowned. This –incident, needless to say, changed her life. In other interviews that she’s given following the Olympics, Naomy shows concern for young non-swimmers in Haiti, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she decided to create a non-profit to that effect. Perhaps, she’ll team up with the University of Chicago’s swimming team and create a swimming camp. She and her teammates can travel to Haiti during the summer and teach summer classes. Maybe they can get funding for this from a crowd-funding campaign (that folks like me can contribute to), or from an existing grant.

Naomy Grand Pierre’s story will inspire many people. She had less than two months to prepare for the Olympics, though some would say that the Canada-born, Atlanta-raised college student has had her whole life to prepare. Will she give the Olympics another try in another four years? In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, she indicated that she’s already training. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

KEEP UP WITH NAOMY ON TWITTER HERE!