Melissa Wu yesterday became the first Australian diver to be selected for five Olympics, joining an elite global group to have achieved the feat.
The 32-year-old won silver in the 10m synchro on debut at the 2008 Beijing Games and a bronze in Tokyo three years ago. She is to contest the 10m individual platform in Paris.
“It’s a pretty incredible thing to achieve five Olympic teams,” Wu said. “Having made the team now I can look back on achieving something pretty special.”
Photo: Reuters
“I’ve had a few injuries the past few years and my diving hasn’t been the best, but now I feel like I’m finally getting back into form,” she said.
Only a handful of other divers have competed at five Olympics, with Wu set to be joined in Paris next month by Britain’s Tom Daley who would match her achievement. Japan’s Ken Terauchi is the only diver to appear at six Olympics.
World champion Cassiel Rousseau also made the nine-strong Australian team and is to take on the individual and synchro 10m events.
Rousseau pulled off a stunning victory in the 10m platform at the world championships in Japan last year, denying powerhouse China a clean-sweep of all 13 gold medals.
The 23-year-old has a strong bond with France. His grandfather Michel Rousseau won gold for France at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in track cycling and his mother grew up in Paris.
“In terms of our family history it’s massive, I just love Paris,” he said. “Being a world champion hasn’t changed my mindset on how I compete or how I see my competitors. I just want to gain more experience, as I’m still relatively new to the sport.”
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