To suggest that Julia Vincent has made a considerable splash in her career is probably not something she wants to hear. It’s a good thing for just about any other athlete except for her. She’s a diver, after all. So, the reference is to celebrate the impression she has made.
Vincent has joined the list of three-time Olympians for Team South Africa. Only Sunette Viljoen, with four, has been to more Games as a female athlete. Vincent first got onto the Olympic board, in every sense, at Rio 2016. What followed was Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021) and now Paris 2024.
This will also be her last competition before she waves to the appreciative crowd and hangs up her swimming costume.
“Yes, this is it. I’m turning 30 this month and am happy to move on to my next adventure. I knew from the start that 2024 was the point where I hang up the swim costume. Having said that, it’s not necessarily about the age. In fact, the older athletes seem to have been doing better at these Olympics so far.
“(But) I’m getting married next year. I love what I do but it’s time to move on to something different. I love the sport and would probably keep going if I wasn’t worried about finances. I’m now at the stage where I want a full pay cheque every month and I want to live a little less structured. There’s a lot of sacrifice and I want to be at a stage where I don’t worry if I’m not at practice!”
Looking back over a decorated career, the US-based diver, born in Johannesburg and who carries a hybrid American-South African accent, is able to reflect on how she has developed over the years and is now an Olympic who feels she’s at home rubbing shoulders with the elite stars.
“My first Olympics (Rio 2016) I was still very much a little baby. I didn’t feel as though I belonged. That changed five years later when I worked my way to and was selected to represent Team SA in Tokyo. The result didn’t go the way I wanted it to but I still felt I was good enough to be there.
“Now, coming to Paris, I have a lot more joy for the sport than before. Since the last Olympics a lot went on in my life and I changed coaches and after my last coach retired, I found a new one. Just being part of a new team and training methods has brought new joy into the sport that I love so much.
“With this being the last competition of my career, I’m just trying to stay present and enjoy every last second.”
Vincent arrived in Paris with a wealth of experience but she was coming off the finest results of her career, underscoring her comments about age.
She finished in a career-best ninth in the women’s 3m springboard world championships in Doha this year, also a lifetime best result in the World Cup this year when placing seventh in Xi’an, China.
“I’m very much someone who is all about the journey and when looking back it’s with fond memories. The time I’ve invested in it, the people I’ve met, the lessons learned. I never dove as well as I have this year and I’m hoping to end off my career on a high by topping that. I’m grateful that I have been able to put in my best performances towards the end of my career.”
Vincent will take to the Paris Aquatics Centre on Wednesday to compete in the 3m springboard preliminaries.
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