Brisbane Olympics 2032: Australian Diving’s search begins for the next Cassiel Rousseau

Diving Australia’s search for the next rising star ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games likely bound for Brisbane and south east Queensland starts next month.

WANTED: Australian next diving star - no experience necessary, apply within.

That is the message from Diving Australia where the search is on to unearth Australia’s next generation of divers.

Diving Australia national pathway coach Vyninka Arlow said a Queensland Talent Program testing weekend would be held at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre to bolster its talent pool on March 13-14. It is ideally timed to unearth Australia’s next diving talent ahead of the 2032 Olympics - likely to be staged in Brisbane and south east Queensland.

Teenage Olympian-in-waiting Cassiel Rousseau heads an impressive list of Queensland rookies making a splash in the sport, a state that has produced past world and Olympic medallists Michael Murphy, Loudy Wiggins (nee Tourky), Brittany Broben and Dom Bedggood.

Rousseau, a Cleveland District State High School alumni, encouraged any Queensland youngster contemplating the sport to take a chance.

“I am thankful to my mother for pushing me into the sport,’’ said Rousseau, who was initially reluctant participate in diving.

“It is good to try something different in life. It might or might not be for you, but you never know.’’

Rousseau said never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be on the cusp of Olympic selection after transition from the Robertson Gymnastic Academy just a few years ago.

Now he has qualified Australia for the 10m event in Tokyo and was a finger nail from qualifying for the Games.

Diver Cassiel Rousseau.Picture, John Gass

“Not even I thought that (the 2021 Olympics) could happen. I did not even want to do diving,’’ he recalled.

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Arlow said Diving Australia wanted to “widen our net as we search for our 2032 superstars,’’ she said.

“The come and try day is open to all kids, boys and girls, aged from 8 years plus,’’ she said.

“On the back of a very successful Commonwealth Games, Diving Queensland is very excited to be launching this new diving talent program,’’ Arlow said.

Diver Cassiel Rousseau at the pool in Chandler. Thursday February 4, 2021. Picture, John Gass

Aside from Redlands’ talent Rousseau, other young Queenslanders shining in the Diving Australia system included:

Kiarra Milligan: A 17 year old who represented Australia in the last junior world championship;

Samantha Olivier: The 16-year-old gymnastics talent who has only been diving for 18 months but who has already been invited to the National Squad Synchro camp;

Mathias Klar: Another recent gymnastics transfer athlete, the 17-year-old is doing big things despite being less than a year into the sport;

Jonah Turner: Turner, 14, moved from the Gold Coast to dive with Diving Australia at Chandler.

Alysha Koloi

Alysha Koloi: Cavendish Road SHS student Koloi was an elite gymnast who represented Australia at level 10 before switching to diving where she won a bronze medal at the junior world championships and a silver medal at the 2020 Madrid Grand Prix.

For more information on the program visit: [e-mail] or https://bit.ly/35WhoPb