SA diver Jaxon Bowshire selected for 2024 Paris Olympics

An 18-year-old SA diver will represent Australia during the 2024 Paris Olympics this month after a sensational showing at the national open championships.

South Australian teenager Jaxon Bowshire will represent the country at the Paris Olympics this month after a dominant display at the Australian Open Diving Championships in June.

Bowshire, just 18 years of age, finished second to world champion Cassiel Rousseau at the championships and executed a personal best dive in the men’s 10-metre platform which ultimately qualified him for Paris.

The rising superstar, who only started competing in senior level international competitions this year, said he was still in shock over his Olympic selection.

“It’s surreal and honestly still hard to believe,” Bowshire said.

SA diver Jaxon Bowshire has just been selected for the Olympics. Picture: Tom Huntley

“I sort of pencilled this in as something I could achieve six years ago so it feels amazing now that it’s actually happening.

“I was pretty nervous heading into the Australian championships because I knew how much was riding on it but I had confidence in my preparation and knew I was performing well.

“I knew I was a chance at qualifying approaching my final dive and I think that extra pressure helped me dive that much better.

“Achieving that Olympic dream has been super exciting for me and my family. We’ve all put a lot of work in.”

Australia's Jaxon Bowshire competes in the preliminary round of the men's 10m platform diving event during the 2024 World Aquatics Championships. Picture: Ebastien Bozon

Bowshire’s diving career started as a sibling rivalry with older sister Lacey on the Gold Coast and he would quickly develop after committing full-time to the sport following a broken arm which impacted his ability to compete in gymnastics.

His family moved to South Australia in 2012 and Bowshire would eventually join SASI in 2017 after a number of impressive displays at age championships.

Bowshire would eventually progress to competing in the World Junior Diving Championships and has competed in a number of major international tournaments in 2024 including the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

“I think my preparation and consistency through the past year has been as good as it’s ever been,” he said.

“The planning myself and my coach have done and the different international experiences and situations I’ve handled have definitely prepared me for where I am right now.”

Bowshire was confident ahead of the Olympics and believed he could make the finals. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Bowshire has also received guidance from London 2012 Olympian Rachel Dutschke, who has been mentoring Australia’s up and coming divers.

“I’ve known Rachel for a long time now and she’s always around the pool giving us advice and mentoring us,” he said.

“I think having people of that calibre in my corner has been awesome for me.”

While Bowshire did not have any major expectations ahead of this month’s Olympic Games, but he and his coaches still made sure to set the bar high.

“I’m as confident as I can be and my goal is to make finals,” he said.

“I can’t prepare myself any better than what I have been and I think that goal is possible.

“At the end of the day it’s going to be a great experience and I’m going over there to enjoy it and see what I can do.”