Q&A: United States diver David Boudia talks difficult dives, gold medals

Medal count | Olympic schedule | Olympic news

United States diver David Boudia has been an Olympic mainstay for most of the last decade. He won gold in the men’s 10m platform at the 2012 Games in London while also winning a bronze in the 10m synchronized event. Most recently, he won a silver medal in the 10m synchronized event with partner Steele Johnson at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. He’ll try to defend his individual title in the 10m platform event starting Friday.

Boudia recently answered questions from fellow Olympian Summer Sanders about what it takes to do his difficult dives, the process of working with a partner and who he considers his mentor.

Summer Sanders: Most people cannot grasp the courage and guts it takes to take that first leap off the platform, I know you are a professional, but take me through the process of overcoming that first fear? Your first time? And up to now … the process of growth into that courage?

David Boudia: Obviously, at first it’s overwhelming. You’re 33 feet high – that’s 3 stories up! Every step leading up to that first dive… your palms are sweaty, you feel a little dizzy, then you look down and you’re just overwhelmed! But for me to accomplish my dreams, it took me taking that first dive. Either I take that dive or I kiss my dream goodbye. And of course, once you do it, it’s the biggest adrenaline rush and you want to keep doing it.

When I first started diving, I was the worst! I was not a diving prodigy… I was always in the footsteps of someone else. I trained with him and he went to the 2008 Olympics and then retired in 2012. But back to when I was a kid, I would spend 45 minutes in the car with my mom going to and from daily practice, when things got tough in training, she helped me work through those harder to overcome moments to get me to where I am today.

SS: When you are going through the movements before your dive, is that habit necessary and how important is that to you mentally crushing your dive?

DB: The biggest thing you can do is just to flip the switch to automatic pilot.

When you’re practicing 4-5 hours a day, 6 days a week, your body creates the habit of diving. You honestly turn your brain off and then your body takes over.

SS: What do you do to always stay mentally fit?

DB: The two biggest things I do are: first, visualization … making sure I’m seeing my dive in my head. Second is a deep breathing exercise that allows me to make sure I can control my heart rate and nerves. I do one big breath, inhaling through my nose and filling up my belly then letting it all out.

SS: Describe your most difficult dive … any chance you know the speed at which you are falling? And the number of seconds from take-off to hands on the water? 3 secs?

DB: My hardest dive is also my favorite. It starts with a back handstand followed by two somersaults and two and a half twists.

A dive takes about 1.4 seconds, and I’m falling at 35 MPH.

SS: Who is your mentor and mentee?

DB: My mom is my mentor. I think the humility she approaches things with is quite humbling and very understanding.

My mentee is actually my partner, Steele Johnson. He’s seven years younger than me. So when he was 10 years old, he started training with me. Then I went to college so there was a break between our partner training and then we resumed when he turned 17 and here we are today!

SS: Helping the next generation is important to you, why?

DB: Well, I want to be able to leave a legacy that isn’t all about yourself. It’s more about reaching out to someone to see what you can do to help them.

SS: When you are standing there on the edge, and you take your final deep breath…take me through those moments. We see it on TV and hold our breath waiting to know when YOU KNOW it’s time to go … what makes it “time to go” for you?

DB: I’m habitual. I take a huge deep breath before takeoff. My last thoughts are two cues specific to the dive I’m doing. I’ll have those in my mind so I know to hit them and hit the perfect dive.

As soon as the beep sounds, Steele and I do a fist pound and say to each other “four six,” and we both know that means be content and be anxious about nothing.

SS: Winning back-to-back gold medals would put you in a category of a courageous few. What would that moment mean to you?

DB: I mean that would put my name in history books for a very long time. It would help to reinforce the amount of hours spent and sacrificed in the pool. More importantly than that, it’s a reminder of how many people there are that sacrificed a lot to get me there – that includes my mom and dad, my wife, coaches, trainers, etc.

SS: Lastly, you have partnered with Head & Shoulders … your shoulders were made for greatness. Define greatness and your legacy to sport!

DB: My partnership with Head & Shoulders is one that makes total sense. I think greatness is self-sacrifice for the good of somebody else. But also at the same time, pursuing excellence in all that you do. I’m thrilled that the brand is supporting me and my family on my Olympic journey as part of the Shoulders of Greatness campaign. I also love the product because as a diver, I spend countless hours in and out of the pool training, so it’s important for me to have a simple grooming routine that keeps my hair and scalp healthy.