Cassiel in diver’s seat for Paris
CASSIEL Rousseau, who took up diving just four years ago, has matched it with some of the world’s best divers — pulling off Australia’s best men’s Olympic diving performance in 13 years.
It was a star-studded start list including Great Britain’s Tom Daley, China’s Jian Yang and European champion Aleksandr Bondar — all of whom have been diving much longer than Rousseau.
Even the two teenage stars, Japan’s Rikuto Tamai and Ukraine’s Oleksii Sereda, have had more experience in the sport than 20-year-old Rousseau.
Australia hasn’t had a 10m men’s platform diver on the podium at an Olympics since Matthew Mitcham won gold in Beijing. Since then the best performance had been Domonic Bedggood’s 12th place finish at Rio.
But Rousseau amassed 430.35 points across his six dives to finish eighth.
“It was pretty surreal being part of that competition, just watching those very experienced guys just fly away from me. It was just unreal,” Rousseau said.
“Everyone else would have three to four times as much experience as me so I’m really proud of myself and where I’ve come from and what I’ve done.”
Daley, who was hoping for another gold after winning the men’s 10m platform synchronised event, claimed bronze. China’s Yan Cao and Jian Yang won silver and gold.
The lack of international competitions in the lead up to the Games meant Rousseau went in as an underdog.
Rousseau’s best dive - a forward four-and-a-half somersaults tucked - scored 88.80 points.
Rousseau has now set his sights on a medal in Paris.
It would have special meaning as his grandfather Michel Rousseau won a gold cycling medal for France at the 1956 Games.
“My granddad came from France to Australia for his gold medal so let’s see what I can do,” he said.