Platform Diving Photos By, Warren Clarke

NO SWIMMING

A: “A lot of people think we do a lot of swimming training ... but we don’t.”

M: “We kind of make a joke about it; we explain that the only swimming we do is from where we land in the water, back to the edge of the pool ... Then there’s a lot of people who think that there’s no training required in diving at all. As we’ve explained, it’s actually quite strength-based ... ”

A: “ ... We don’t just walk up some stairs

and fall off.”

FIGHTING NERVES 

M: “I’ve always gotten nerves and always will, but I’ve definitely been able to deal with them better over time. I guess that just comes down to experience. Nothing anyone can say to you will make you feel any less nervous. No matter what you say to yourself, it’s just practice and experience that will help you deal with nerves better and help you lift to the occasion rather than letting them get to you.”

A: “I’m a nervous competitor, too. Even as a gymnast I was always very nervous competing, but that’s a good thing because it indicates you care about your performance. I’ve worked in the past and even now with a sports psych – not necessarily specifically for nerves, but all aspects of performance. Definitely sports psychology, as well as what Melissa says about experience, helps keep the nerves under control and keep you performing at your best.”