Divers locked in on London
Don’t call it a comeback. Healthy or not, Alexandre Despatie has been doing this for years: finding ways to get the job done.
This past week at the FINA Diving World Cup and Olympic Test Event in London, Despatie stood on the diving board after nearly a year of fighting injury and delivered a bronze medal performance in the 3m springboard. It secured Canada a spot in the event for London 2012.
The best part? This Laval, Que., native is not alone.
Roseline Filion, also from Laval, and Montreal’s Meaghan Benfeito nailed down silver in the women’s 10m synchronized platform event, giving Canada a slot in that Olympic event too.
Their performance came a day after Despatie and his 3m springboard synchronized partner Reuben Ross of Regina solidified their Olympic berth in that event, taking away a load of pressure.
“(I was) Relieved. Liberated, sort of ,” Despatie told CTV Olympics reporter Jennifer Lukas in London after qualifying for London 2012.
An Olympic veteran, Despatie has competed in the last three Games. He owns a pair of springboard silvers from 2004 and 2008 and a platform fourth from 2000.
“I live for days like this, where all the hard work comes together and the performance unfolds,” Despatie told reporters on a conference call after clinching his World Cup medal. “It’s great encouragement and a great motivation for what’s coming ahead in the next five months.”
Synchro partner Ross said on his Twitter account that Despatie had “pulled off the impossible”.
As one of Canada’s most recognizable Olympic athletes, it seems Despatie is a fine example of how to turn the “impossible” into huge potential heading into the London 2012 Games.
