I love nailing a perfect dive, said Emilie Heymans,one of Canadas most decorated Olympians winning medals in three successive Games since Syndey 2000. I train for six hours everyday just so that I can execute that inch-perfect dive when it really matters, she said. The Canadian,who will participate in the London Olympics in the 3m synchronized diving event,is hoping that she can cap off a wonderful Olympic journey by winning a fourth successive medal and putting a final glorious feather in her much decorated Olympic hat. Partnering the 30-year-old Heymans will be Jennifer Abel,who though 20,already has an Olympic performance under her belt,having participated at the Beijing Games when she was all of 16. The Abel and Heymans combination,despite the difference in age and experience,has been highly successful,winning two Commonwealth gold medals and two silver medals at the World Championships. Able said that her first Olympic experience was an emotional rollercoaster. When I stood on the board and looked at the Olympic rings emblazoned on the floor of the pool,it just hit me. All my emotions just came to the fore, said Abel. But with London being her second appearance at the big stage,Abel said she hoped to do much better,Bejing was a memorable experience but now that I have tasted Olympic action,I want to go out and win a medal in London, said Abel. Synchronised diving is a sport which scrutinises the most minute of movements. Divers are graded on their approach,the flight of their dive and also their entry into the water. Synchronised divers not only have to perfect their individual techniques but also have to spend long hours in the pool perfecting the co-ordination with their partners. In Olympic competitions,a single shimmy which is out of place is likely to cost the divers their medal. Heymans and Abel have been perfecting their Olympic diving routines over the past six months through grueling practice sessions that last well over six hours. And Heymans is using her experience to guide the young Olympian,saying that her biggest task has been to teach the young Abel to handle the pressure. Jen is a great diver but she needs to calm herself before her dive,she gets too excited at times and at the Olympics you just cannot afford that, said the senior pro. Heymans and Abel will be a part of Canadas 12-member pool contingent. Diving has been one of Canadas most productive disciplines,with the nation having won nine medals in different diving disciplines over six editions of the Olympic games. Going by their recent form they captured eight medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and four at the 2011 Pan American Games the number is only likely to go up in London.
