Summer Youth Olympics
2018
Diving Competition
at Buenos Aires 2018
BUENOS
AIRES - unior
world champion Daniel Restrepo Garcia did not have an easy morning at the
Natatorium in the Youth Olympic Park.
The Colombian was in sixth place
with 511.95 points after the first round of the 3m springboard event.
Everything seemed to indicate that Restrepo Garcia was going to need a
top-notch performance to even dream about making the Youth Olympic podium.
But thanks to his talent Restrepo
Garcia was able to take the last youth title he lacked in his impressive sport
career.
"I trained a lot to leave my
country’s flag at the top," said the world’s new diving star.
Garcia began the second round with a
dive that left him in 10th place. Despite his low position, the spectators
continued cheering him on. He responded to their applause by demonstrating his
skills, above all, in his last dive, which earned a score of 93.10 from the
judges.
With a total of 576.05 points,
Restrepo Garcia became the first diver from Colombia to win a medal at a Youth
Olympic Games.
“I’m very happy because with hard
work and dedication one can achieve anything,” he said.
Restrepo Garcia took up diving when
he was diagnosed with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The doctors
told his parents that he should go on medication or start a sport. With
consistent support from his family, he began his diving career when he was just
four years old.
“Every day my mom tells me to train,
to strive to be the best. She didn’t say those words in vain – here we are,”
the Colombian athlete said after winning his gold medal.
“I’m hoping for a lot of good things
in my future.”
Great Britain’s Anthony Harding took
the silver medal with 559.50 points. The bronze went to Russia’s Ruslan
Ternovoi, who finished with a score of 551.20.
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