Joey Payeur
Molly Carlson is warming up her vocal chords for a possible rendition of “I Go to Rio” when August rolls around.
The Toronto resident, who was born in Fort Frances, placed seventh in the women’s open 3m springboard finals with a total of 267.90 points at Diving Canada’s 2016 Winter Senior National Championships in Saskatoon on Sunday.
National team veteran Jennifer Abel won the event with a mark of 375.85, just ahead of fellow Quebecer Pamela Ware (372.65).
But just making it into the 12-woman final in Saskatoon means Carlson has a spot in the 2016 Summer Senior Nationals in Scarborough—an event that will double as the trials to determine who will be on the national squad for the Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from Aug. 5-21.
“It’s pretty exciting to think about,” said the 17-year-old two-time Pan American junior champion in the 3m, who also finished seventh in the 1m (a non-Olympic event) last Friday.
“Having [the Olympic trials] at my home pool is going to be a huge advantage,” she stressed.
Carlson unveiled two new optional dives during the event that mostly were a splashing success.
“I’m doing a front 2.5 full twist, which has a degree of difficulty of 3.0 and is the one all the big girls are doing,” she explained.
“The other new one is a forward 3.5 tuck,” added Carlson
“I’m just glad I didn’t screw it up in the final.”
The forward 3.5 tuck is the most rotation in the air Carlson has ever tried in a dive.
“You really have to focus on not forgetting how to use the basics,” she noted.
“You’ve got to do the same jump you’re used to, and just change up your positions in the air and different places where you come out of your dive.”
Carlson, meanwhile, eschewed the traditional diver’s mentality of keeping to themselves in between dives, choosing instead to soak up every possible second of watching Abel and Ware perform their mastery.
“They’re amazing to train with and they make everything look so beautiful,” she marvelled.
“They always look so confident and that’s what I want to get to be—to stand up on the board for the judges and be like, ‘Watch this.’
“With Pam and Jen, I’m able to talk with them at competitions and we get to bond and stuff,” added Carlson.
“There’s always hugs—but I’m not at the point where I’m brave enough to ask for pointers yet,” she chuckled.
Abel and Ware may be her Canadian idols, but they also are now Carlson’s targets come the Olympic trials next summer as only the top two in each event will qualify for the Games.
Carlson is adamant she’s a better candidate to make the Olympic team heading to Tokyo in 2020, so she’s taking a realistic approach to the trials.
“It’s obviously going to be a crazy competition and everyone is going to bring their ‘A’-game,” she predicted.
“I really want to work with my coach on my new dives and even getting in another new dive, so when I’m there, I’ve got the best possible chance to succeed,” she added.
“To get first or second will be crazy, ridiculous hard against Pam and Jen, but I am going to aim for a medal,” Carlson vowed.
“It’s going to be hard, though, and it’s going to take a lot of work.”
