DIVING: Australia’s Melissa Wu and Brittany O’Brien have qualified in fourth and 17th place respectively for tomorrow’s semi-final of the women’s 10m platform following today’s preliminary round involving 28 divers at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre.
Three-time Olympian Wu admitted that she is looking forward to these Games more than the others and that watching her teammates this week inspired her ahead of competition.
“I am happy. Iit could be a little bit better but I did what I needed to do,” said Wu. “I am super excited to compete, I have been waiting for so long since we have been here and being out here every day supporting the team has made me really excited and inspired me a lot to get out and dive.
“I think I appreciate these Olympics a lot more than the others that I have been too because I have been through a lot in the last few years and to be able to overcome that and see what I am made of is a huge achievement.
“I am finally proud of myself. It has taken a while but that is part of the journey as you get older you get experience and you learn to take the good things with the bad as well."
Wu intends to block out the other competitors tomorrow, admitting that is the secret to her best diving.
“I just try and focus more on myself; I am not too worried about the competition. I dive better when I block it out,” she said. “I just want to go in and hit all five of my dives to the best of my ability and if I do that, wherever I place I will be happy with that."
Wu admitted that having her younger NSWIS teammate O'Brien qualify as well was very satisfying.
“It is amazing and such a great result, I am so happy for her,” said Wu. “We train together at NSWIS and it is so great to be able to share this with her and to see some of the younger generation coming through.”
For O’Brien, who initially missed selection before being called up as a late replacement for Brittany Broben who was ruled out with injury, today was a nerve wracking occasion.
“I didn’t think that I was going to be competing at the Olympic. It is unfortunate for Brittney (Broben) but I maintained my training since the trials and I felt prepared coming into the competition,” said O’Brien.
“I was very nervous and very relieved at the end to see that I made it through, particularly after my third dive which was a bit of a shocker.
“I thought I didn’t make it. I didn’t find out until the last diver and I only knew when I spoke to my coach and he told me that I had made it.
"It is pretty exciting now I can go again tomorrow”.
The semi-final will be held tomorrow morning Rio time, with the top 12 qualifying for the final which will take place tomorrow afternoon.
Jo Banning
olympics.com.au
