What Would She Say...?: Somebody That I Used To Know = Olympian

This is the Augustin Maillefer that I remember.

Or lovingly "Gut" for short.

(the tall-skinny kid in the white T-shirt on the right)

Can't even lift himself on the monkey bars...poor little Gut ;-)

How cute was he, right?

This is the current "Gut" who will be soon competing in the Swiss

men's heavyweight quad in London this summer, his first Olympics.

He is only 19 years old.

Where the hell did that cute, little, monkey bars, Gut go?

This is another picture of Gut, he is the one on the right.

I know right? Hubba-hubba ;-)

The other guy in the picture is his big brother, Jérémy Maillefer.

Why heck is his brother in the picture?

Interesting story.

Jérémy was in the Swiss men's heavyweight quad (which Gut is now replacing)

up until several months ago. Around Christmas time Jérémy was forced to

train on and off due to an un-identified injury that took months to diagnose.

In fact, last year it was Jérémy (the only Maillefer in the boat at the time) who

had helped qualify the boat for London 2012.

The first time Jer had ever helped qualify an Olympic boat for Switzerland.

An amazing accomplishment and exciting opportunity.

So naturally Jérémy was upset when his injury prevented him from training properly,

keeping up with his crew mates and eventually officially preventing him from being in the boat

and thus, competing at the Olympics.

While all this was happening, Gut had made a name for himself

on the junior level, twice. Once in a crew boat and another time in the single.
He skipped the stage of World U23 all together - went right to senior level.
(although you can always go back down and compete at that level)

And still little (how HUGE) Gut just kept getting stronger.

Like his older brother, he was a monster on the erg and his scores were improving.

Over the winter the Swiss coaches decided to allow

this young, strong, rower to train with the other heavy weight men.

How could they not? He was freaking keeping up...amazing!

And then naturally, his strength and talent earned him a chance to seat race into the boat

and the rest is history.

I don't think either or them could have predicted the situation that did unfold,

but astonishingly enough, they have both handled it like professionals;

supporting each other consistently while respecting each one's situation.

Hold on a second, back that TRUCK UP!

NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE OLYMPICS BECAUSE OF AN INJRUY IS ONE THING: BUT TO HAVE YOUR LITTLE

BROTHER TAKE YOUR PLACE IN THE BOAT?

THAT YOU HELPED QUALIFY THE YEAR BEFORE?

Really?!?!

I don't know if I'd sucker punch him once once just to make myself feel better or grab

the closest bottle of tequila and drown my sorrows away...

Clearly I don't have the maturity level that both these brothers possess.

Nor can I say with confidence that I would

go and watch my brother at the Olympics.

I would like to think I would do the right thing but

actually "saying" you would do the right thing and actually "doing" the right thing

are two separate things.

HOW DOES THIS STORY END?

Jérémy will go to London and proudly watch his little brother compete at the Olympics.

And Gut? How has all of this affected him?

I don't know exactly.

What I do know is that he respects his brother dearly and has always looked up to him.

The Gut I remember was silly and charming and just so sweet. I RARELY ever heard him complain. Even now...when someone posts an old & embarrassing video of him

I am sure he will just smile and say YOUPEEE!

(he has a good sense of humor)