By Josh Bavas
Cassiel Rousseau makes even the most complicated dives look easy.
The 23-year-old Griffith University psychology student has only been diving for about five years but is already making a name for himself on the world stage.
Australian diver Cassiel Rousseau has his sights set on Paris.Credit: Josh Bavas
Not only has the former gymnast secured Australia two quota positions in diving for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, this month he was also named World Aquatics Diving Athlete of the Year.
“It’s definitely something special and honourable,” he said.
Cassiel Rousseau won gold in the men’s 10-metre platform at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships.Credit: Jack Sproxton
“It’s a community-based award, based on everyone’s votes in the world – fans, athletes and the technical committee of World Aquatics.
“It is big, but also very unexpected.”
Rousseau made history at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships, becoming the first Australian to win gold in the men’s 10-metre platform.
More recently, he returned home from the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships, where he secured his second quota spot for Australia in the men’s 10-metre synchronised event with partner Domonic Bedggood.
Defending his chance to fill those quotas at Paris would come with an even greater honour for the Brisbane student.
His late grandfather, Michel Rousseau, won gold for France in the cycling track event at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
Now Cassiel has a chance to follow with Olympic glory for Australia in France.
His late grandfather never had the chance to see him compete at an international level.
“He passed away a year before I got into diving, but he was always into my sports,” he said.
Despite already securing the quotas for Australia, Rousseau is preparing for a series of competitions around the world – including in Montreal and Berlin – to defend his ranking.
He recently stepped back from part-time work at City Cave Float & Wellness Centre to focus on training for the Olympics.
His coach, Adrian Hinchliffe, said the next five months would require sacrifices, “for good reason”.
“Not everyone gets a chance to go to an Olympics or have the gifts to allow you to compete in a sport at that level,” he said.
“Cassiel is a very acrobatic diver, and he has an ability to be very, very consistent, so my job is really fine-tuning technique, trying to work on his form.
“Both these events are highly competitive and will require us to get better in these next few months to maximise our opportunity against the competition.”
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