The Costco Connection - July/August 2007

“I have to
focus on

DIVING CANADA/SCOT T GRANT

Despatie shows his form at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, where he won three gold medals.

way

that I Bouncing back

the diving,

Beijing. It was also a harsh wake-up call.

not on the
expectation,

“Things have changed since I was a kid,” he admits. “Now that I’m a little older, I’m more fragile. I never had to think about that before. It’s a new aspect of my career that I’m learning to deal with, and it’s not easy. I have to make adjustments, and listen to my body more.”

the media,

After Despatie spent more than a year on the sidelines, the diving world and his fans had pretty hefty expectations when he returned to international competition at last spring’s World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

“The pressure is there, and you can’t really avoid it,” says Despatie. “But I have to focus on the diving, not on the expectation, the media, the medals. It’s the only way that I can perform.”

When he is teetering on the edge of the 10-metre tower, Despatie’s dark eyes are fixed intently at a point just beyond his feet. Raising his sculpted arms high above his head, he takes a deep breath.

the medals.
It‘s the only

“Right before a dive, I try and calm down, and really focus on the technical aspect of the dive that I’m doing, not the dive before or the big dive I have coming up, just that dive at that moment,” he says. “And then, I just go. Hopefully, things go right.”

“

Despatie came away from Melbourne with
two silver medals in the 3-metre springboard
can perform. and 3-metre synchronized events, but finished
a disappointing eighth on the 10-metre tower,
relinquishing his world champion titles.
Unfazed, Despatie says he was pleased with
his performance. “I didn’t know how I was going
to react to that level of competition after being
out for so long, and the more it went on, the
people will never do, and for that I’m thankful.” to them and take pictures. As an athlete, it’s better I felt on the board. To come back knowing
Despatie’s mother attributes her son’s con- very important for me to motivate kids to that my instincts are still the same was very reas-
tinuing success to his calm nature and persever- get off the couch and be active.” suring, and it’s given me a lot of confidence.”
ance. “Alexandre always lives in the moment,” Despatie says the hype stemming from his Brawley says the quality of Despatie’s div-
she says. “When he won the Commonwealth wildly successful early achievements continues ing in Melbourne bodes well for next summer’s
Games, our lives changed from one day to the to both help and hinder him. Olympics. “Alex is still right up there with the
next. But he as a person never changed. He’s “One advantage is that after 17 years of div- top divers,” she says. “Men’s diving has grown a
stayed very grounded.” ing, I have a long path of training, travelling and substantial amount since the last Olympics, and
competition experience behind me that a lot of now it’s a matter of who’s going to stay the most
Good form as a role model athletes don’t ever get in their careers,” he says. focused and the most on target when they’re
Despatie’s mother continues to be touched “The disadvantage is that people expect a lot competing. But we know that Alex has the abil-
by the public’s love affair with her son. “It’s as from me, which keeps me on the edge.” ity to win gold. There’s no doubt about that.”
if Alex grew up in their homes!” she mar- Despatieaddsthat, atthislevelof competi-
vels. “People see him and call out, ‘Bravo, Twists and turns of diving tion, there is no room for error. “It takes perfec-
Alexandre!’ Men clap him on the back and say, Setbacks, as Despatie recently discovered, tion to win now,” he says firmly. “It’s my job to
‘We’re with you! Keep up the great work!’ He are also part of the game. After a great start to train as hard as I can to refine every single one
makes friends everywhere; he’s a very gener- his 2006season, Despatie injured his neck while of my dives. You have to have dreams and be
ous person, full of joy.” training in Florida, and sat out the rest of the ready to give everything it takes to get to the
Despatie says being a role model to chil- year to give his body a chance to recover. The end. That’s why I’m still up there on the board:
dren is something he takes very seriously. “It’s injury prevented Despatie from competing at Because I just love my sport.” C
a big responsibility. The kids are amazing, and the 2006 World Cup in China, costing him a