Laura Wilkinson may be America’s only well-known diver, but she says she’s not feeling the pressure, “at least not right now.”
Laura Wilkinson was one of the surprises of the Sydney Olympics, roaring from eighth place to first in the finals of the 10-meter platform and snatching gold from the favored Li Na of China - all while diving with a heavily wrapped broken foot.
Now 26, the University of Texas graduate knows she will be a target in Athens. And as perhaps America's only well-known diver, she also knows expectations will be high. But "at least right now," she said, "I don't feel the pressure."
"I'm excited," Wilkinson said. "Trials was more pressure for me than the Olympic Games is going to be. Getting there is such a hard thing.
"The best thing that's happened so far is I feel like I'm a better athlete than four years ago. A gold medal is not going to tell me that."
In the past two years, Wilkinson has increased her degree of difficulty in an effort to keep up with the world's best. In February she won a major warmup to the Olympics, the World Cup/test event in Athens.
Though she faltered in the final at the trials and nearly lost her spot on the team to 17-year-old Orlando phenom Brittany Viola, Wilkinson is definitely a medal favorite. Her major competition for platform gold will include Canada's Emilie Heymans, the 2003 world champion; Australia's Loudy Tourky and China's Lishi Lao.
NEVER TOO LATE: At 30, Kimiko Soldati is on her first Olympic team, and if she can dive consistently, she could become the first U.S. medalist on 3-meter springboard since Kelly McCormick won bronze in 1988.
Soldati, who didn't start diving until she was almost 20, has endured four shoulder surgeries and two knee surgeries, fighting her way back each time.
"I used the frustration and pain and the emotional turmoils as fuel for my fire," she said. "I'm probably the most motivated 30-year-old out there. I feel like I'm just starting to reach my potential in this sport."
DUMAIS RETURNS: Troy Dumais, who barely missed making the Atlanta Games as a 16-year-old and finished fourth in synchronized springboard and sixth on individual springboard in Sydney, hopes to finally collect a medal in Athens. He'll dive in the same two events, joining brother Justin in the synchro competition.
In the past four years, he has consistently finished in the top 10 in international springboard events, including a fifth-place finish at last year's worlds.
WORLD WATCH: Canada's diving program has taken a big leap forward in the past four years. Not only is Heymans a threat to win the women's platform, but teammate Alexandre Despatie could medal in three events - springboard, platform and synchro platform. Despatie, 19, is reigning world champion on the platform and won springboard at the World Cup in February.
Battling Despatie on springboard will be Russians Aleksandr Dobroskok and Dmitry Sautin, who could dominate the event. The pair won gold at the worlds in the synchro event and finished first and third, respectively, as individuals.
