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Wilkinson won't sneak up on anyone at this Olympics
2004-06-26
Laura Wilkinson wasn't paying attention to the scores as she climbed the 33-foot tower, but she heard her brother's voice. Clearly. As if there wasn't anyone else in the Sydney International Aquatic Center.``That's my sister!'' Rob Wilkinson screamed. She knew something was up. Laura wasn't given much of a chance to win an Olympic medal four years ago. The top spots on the podium were reserved for the powerful Chinese divers. Just making the Olympics was supposed to be Wilkinson's reward, a testament to her perseverance after she broke her right foot in three places during a training mishap. Then, one of the favorites flopped. Then another. And another. And another. Suddenly, the steady Texan realized she must be somewhere close to the lead. ``It was really, really loud in there, but I heard my brother,'' she recalled. ``I knew some other people must have missed, but I was so far behind. I couldn't believe it. Four divers missing at the Olympics? That's unheard of.'' Wilkinson never missed, hobbling away with an improbable gold medal - the first for an American woman in 10-meter platform since 1964. In the process, she snapped China's 16-year stranglehold on the high board. ``It was a very special moment for me,'' she said. ``No matter what people want to think - it was a fluke or something - no one can take that away from me.'' One thing's for sure: Wilkinson won't be sneaking up on anyone in Athens. The Chinese are favored again, and sounding as though they're still feeling a bit cheated about what happened in Sydney. But now, this waifish American knows she can beat them. ``She sure showed everyone at the World Cup,'' said her Olympic teammate and close friend, Kimiko Soldati. In February, Wilkinson beat a world-class field during a test event in Athens, diving from the same platform where she'll try to win another gold medal in August. Now 26, she's the leading hope for the Americans, who are trying to bounce back from an otherwise disappointing performance in 2000. Wilkinson's gold was the only medal, the fewest produced by a U.S. team (other than the boycotted Moscow Games) since 1912. ``Laura Wilkinson is the defending Olympic champion,'' said former American great Greg Louganis, who swept gold in 1984 and '88. ``That's something to get behind.'' Sydney will forever be etched in her heart. Wilkinson remembers every dive, especially the last one. She remembers standing atop the board, telling herself what a great experience it had been, win or lose. Of course, she'll need to clear her mind when she gets to Greece. ``I've had time to think about it, being the defending gold medalist and all that,'' Wilkinson said. ``The way I look at it: No one has won anything. You can't say you're trying to defend something that you haven't won.'' At first, Wilkinson wasn't even sure if she wanted to come back for the Athens Games. She needed surgery on her injured foot after Sydney, prompting her to take time off and get to work on some other priorities in life. She graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in public relations. She married Eriek Hulseman, a former swimmer and coach. ``He's such a rock for me, such a stable force,'' said Wilkinson, sounding like a giddy newlywed even after nearly two years of marriage. ``He gives me the space I need during the competitions, but he's always there when I need him. It's been terrific.'' She could have gone out on top, settled down, had a few kids. But those thoughts quickly passed. Wilkinson, who's been diving since she was 15, had too much love for the board to give it up. She came back with a renewed vigor, diving much better now than she was at this point four years ago. Wilkinson also has a little something to prove, that what happened in 2000 wasn't a fluke. ``I've heard that some of the Chinese divers don't think I'm good enough to win again,'' she said. ``That's OK. They didn't think I was good enough to win in 2000.'' Wilkinson is deeply religious, reciting Philippians 4:13 - ``I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.'' - before every dive. Her faith helped her cope with the disappointment of not having a second chance to win gold in Athens. She teamed with Soldati to finish fourth at the World Cup, qualifying the United States for synchronized platform. Alas, the duo was upset at the trials this month by Sara Hildebrand and Cassandra Cardinell, who got the Olympic spot. ``There's not much we can do about it now,'' Wilkinson said. ``I just feel kind of bummed.'' She didn't have long to fret, coming back a few nights later to clinch a solo berth in platform. It wasn't easy. Wilkinson botched a couple of dives and went to the last round with a narrow lead over teenager Brittany Viola, the daughter of former major league pitcher Frank Viola. But experience won out in the end. Wilkinson pulled off her best dive of the night, a backward pike 2 1/2 somersault with 1 1/2 twists, and won comfortably. ``Laura performed like a champion,'' said Todd Smith, executive director of USA Diving. ``She came through.'' Now, can she do it again in Athens? AP
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