Michael Diamond, Australian Olympic champion, on comeback trail after he lost ‘everything’
Two-time Australian Olympic gold medallist Michael Diamond has revealed the turmoil that swamped his life following a family feud, and how it jolted him out of rock bottom to turn his life around.
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Michael Diamond says there is no greater motivation than hitting rock bottom.
He knows. He felt the brutal thud. And there was no bounce either. Not for seven lean, long years.
Diamond is a two time Australian Olympic shooting gold medallist (Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000), whose life unravelled after he was charged with a high range drink driving offence and having a firearm and bullets in his car after a family dispute just months before the Rio Olympics in 2016.
The three gun charges were later dropped but the damage was done. Things went downhill from there as Diamond had apprehended violence orders which restricted his contact with his former wife Cathy and brother John, with whom he had a long-running fallout.
But the story has taken a twist. Diamond will be back for his seventh Olympic appearance at the Paris Games, not shooting for Australia for whom he is unable to hold a gun license, but as coach of Qatar.
And after a lot of lost and lonely years Diamond’s once turbulent life has quietly has taken a different course.
Diamond has lost 15 kilograms in the past year and, accepting alcohol was the root of his problems, has severely cut down his drinking to a very occasional glass of red wine.
“I live my life in moderation now,’’ Diamond told this masthead in a rare interview.
“I don’t feel like having alcohol these days. I learnt from my mistakes and I will never – ever – repeat those mistakes again.
“There is no greater motivation than hitting rock bottom. I can tell you that from the horse’s mouth. You have to show tenacity and get back up off the floor again and drive to a better day. I guess I had to go to that place to understand where I was heading to.’’
THE FALL
Diamond’s life spiralled downwards on that fateful night in 2016 after a dispute at Nelson Bay, north of Newcastle, with his brother John who reported Michael to the police.
John has since died without the two brothers making peace.
Michael, motivated to support his daughters Isabella, Angelica and Rihanna, has taken steps to rebuild his life but it was a major challenge given his income and reputation was so damaged.
One minute he was being touted at the flagbearer for the Rio Olympics. The next he was banned from shooting a gun in Australia for 10 years.
“I would say the moment that change me was when my brother rang the police.
“It was my birthday and it (the incident) was a mistake on my behalf but if I had not been intoxicated I would have handled the situation differently.
“I was not in control of myself and my emotions. When I am competing I was always in control. But that day I was out of control.’’
The irony of Diamond over-indulging on the drink is that for a significant portion of his life he didn’t touch it.
“The reason I was really involved (with drinking) back in the day was I had a beautiful big boat and I used to do a lot of marlin fishing. The crowd that used to congregate around that particular sport loved a drink. I am not criticising them in any way but I just started over-indulging.
“Prior to that I was not a drinker. I never drank. And that was right up to the Sydney Olympics when I was 28.
“It was after Sydney 2000 that I bought my first boat and I started indulging.’’
THE COST
In court documents Diamond estimated his fall from grace cost him $1 million in lost income but he says now “it’s more than that.’’
“Life was very difficult. I lost everything. The only way I could make an income was taken away from me. You try and survive and it makes it tough but I have had to evolve and I have. I am doing far better now than I ever was.
“I had sponsorships at the time. I was a possible flag-bearer (at the Rio Olympics) and speaking engagements roll on from that and I would have renewed my contracts.
“My lifestyle changed because of my children. I have the best children in the world. For many years I had my hands tied because I could not make a living.
“My children changed my mindset. I had to provide for them. While I was competing I was fine. But for a while there it was very tough to make a living.
“I was not doing my part as a father. They were suffering and I could not have that any more. It was seven years of hardship when I was not able to earn enough money. It was a real tough trip but I survived it and the saying goes what does not kill you makes you stronger and I am definitely a lot stronger.’’
THE FIXED FEUD
Fellow gold medallist Russell Mark has paid a tribute to Diamond for getting his life back on track which is significant because when Diamond’s life was off the rails the duo had a bitter, long lasting fallout.
Mark, as a Shooting Australia board member, successfully pushed for a rule which stopped shooters drinking from when they arrived at the airport to the end of competition.
They even unofficially called it “the Michael Diamond rule’’ because it was specifically made in an attempt to make Diamond change his ways.
“Michael and I roomed together for 20 years,’’ Mark said.
“He was a big part of my success and was great for me but sadly, we became enemies for a while. We had a bad public fallout and spent four or five years not even talking to each other.
“But I am really happy to see the change in him now. He has learnt from his mistakes and moved on. Anyone in world shooting would tell you now it’s great to see him on the range.
“I saw him train every day in the gym in Italy when we were there. I went out to dinner with him recently and he had one glass of wine and it ended there. He has matured.
“He has been harshly dealt by not getting his shooters licence back in Australia. Qatar have given him a chance and I am very happy for him.’’
THE FIGHTBACK
Several years ago, when his faltering heart was only functioning at 15%, Diamond auctioned his Atlanta gold medal for $62,000 and his Sydney gold for $72,000 to pay for legal bills as his stress levels shot skywards and doctors said he might need a heart transplant.
With a better lifestyle that threat has now been averted.
“I had cardiomyopathy which is an enlargement of the heart and an irregular heartbeat,” Diamond said.
“It was causes from two things – a lot of stress and alcohol which I used to indulge in on the weekends.
“Since coming out of hospital I have had a lifestyle change. Alcohol is completely kept to a minimum. I feel really good. When I got sick I didn’t train for two or three years and packed all that weight back on.
“I feel very good within myself. Health wise I am on top of it. Health wise, everything has come back to normal which is astounding. That allows me to get on with life and move forward.
“It was incredibly difficult. Did I deserve it? I don’t think I did but it happened and I had to deal with it. That was yesterday. I am now more concern about today and tomorrow and I am never looking in the rear vision again.
“I am looking through the windscreen.’’
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