Julia seals Olympic spot
PARKTOWN – Dreams do come true but this one has not yet sunk in for diver, Julia.
Making it to the Olympics has always been a dream and personal goal for former Kingsmead College pupil and Sandhurst resident Julia Vincent.
This dream and goal are now a reality for her. Vincent has been selected for the diving team that will represent South Africa at this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in August.
“I originally got the Olympic spot for South Africa in Rio de Janeiro in February at the World Cup and then I won the spot at South African Nationals on April 12,” said the delighted Vincent.
She said qualifying for the Olympics had not sunk in yet. “It’s as if I’m still waiting to wake up from a dream; the best dream I have ever had.”
Vincent is currently a student at the University of South Carolina in the United States.
Thorough preparation and dedication paid off for this athlete. She dedicates four hours daily to training, excluding weekends. “My coach, Todd Sherritt, is a firm believer in rest and allowing the body to recover after a good, hard week of training,” she said.
Julia Vincent in a 3m dive at Kings Park in the final round of the South African Nationals.
Vincent added that she lifted weights with her strength coach, Josh Morgan, three times a week. “He creates workouts that are specific to me as an individual and that are specific to divers. I never had any kind of strength coach before I went to America, so it is thanks to him that I am a lot stronger than I used to be.”
The character of a true sportswoman is also obvious in the young diver. “I was very torn when I left my club team, Rippers Diving Club that is coached by a very good coach, Dominique Philippopoulos, for my new adventure in the US because I loved training with them.”
Vincent added that her former teammates had inspired her to be a good role model and they kept practices fun, as their sport could be very demanding.
“I am now part of the University of South Carolina swim and dive team and have found many of my closest friends. I am part of a strong team of swimmers and divers and many of them constantly inspire me to be better than I was the day before,” said Vincent.
“I have met a lot of great people and I’m living my dream and doing what I love every day with the support of my amazing friends and family, I can’t ask for anything more.”
