Alexis Guimond

Bambi ["My family did a lot of cycling. After a competition, we were eating in the restaurant and I was the only one to order from the Bambini menu. They just cut the 'ni' in Bambini and it became Bambi"]. (journallarevue.com, 23 Feb 2015)

Mountain bike rider [and his brother] Marc-Antoine Guimond. (IPC, 18 Jan 2018)

"Do or do not, there is no 'try'!" (skiquebec.qc.ca, 10 Oct 2013)

In 2018 he received the Best Paralympic Debut by a Male Athlete award from the Canadian Paralympic Committee. (paralympic.org, 31 Oct 2018)

He was named the 2016 Male Rising Star of the Year by Ski Quebec Alpin in Canada. (Facebook page, 28 Aug 2017)

His brother Marc-Antoine Guimond has competed in elite mountain biking. (cg2015.gems.pro, 05 Feb 2015)

At age six months he was involved in an accident, which resulted in hemiparesis on the right side of his body. He also had a stroke at age 12, which caused partial paralysis on the left side of his body. "I never wondered why all this happened to me, although it is frustrating to experience such things without even knowing why. Now, I just look ahead and continue forward. With my ski results, I hope to become a voice for people who have been stroke victims like me when they were young." (IPC, 18 Jan 2018; lapresse.ca, 21 Apr 2013; journaldequebec.com, 20 Aug 2017)

CHANGE OF FOCUS
He says the COVID-19 lockdown period spurred him to take a more professional approach to sport. "I learned about myself, both physically and mentally. I have a different perspective, I have more discipline in training, I eat better and I am more focused on the small details. It makes me a better athlete. It's just a question of maturity. While we were at home during the COVID crisis, I really asked myself what I want to do with my life, and I wanted to learn how to appreciate my time as a competitive skier. I started to embrace all the aspects of my sport. It has really helped me progress." He says weight training has become more important in his preparation. "It's my new hobby. I've fallen in love with the gym and weight training. It's making a big difference in my skiing so I appreciate it more. Before it was a necessary evil. I've made gains in physical conditioning and it is going really well. I feel stronger on my skis. I'm improving every day and my times are fast." (paralympic.ca, 26 Nov 2020; rds.ca, 24 Nov 2020)

AMBASSADOR
He has served as an ambassador for Excellence Sportive Outaouais, a sports excellence programme for the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. (sportoutaouais.ca, 01 Feb 2020)

MOVE TO CANADA
Born in Houston, TX, United States of America, he moved to western Quebec, Canada, at age four. (journallarevue.com, 23 Feb 2015)