Former BYU students Justin Wilcock and Rachelle Kunkel qualified for the Athens Olympics for 3-meter springboard diving in St. Louis, each placing second.

In Wilcock's circumstance, usually only the first-place finisher in the competition gets a bid to the Olympics, but first-place Troy Dumais qualified earlier that week in the synchronized 3-meter springboard event with his brother, Justin Dumais.

Training with Dumais has been first-rate experience for Wilcock.

"To be essentially competing against him every day," Wilcock said in a press release, "it definitely helps getting ready for Athens and getting ready for the best in the world."

After being behind Philip Jones by one point in the preliminaries, Wilcock managed to get 45 points ahead in the finals to secure himself a berth on the U.S. Olympic Team.

"I still think it is a bit of disbelief," he said in a press release. "It is something that I have worked for and dreamt about for so long. I think I am still in a bit of shock."

Wilcock is training in The Woodlands, Texas, with four other divers, three of which are on the Olympic team. He has been training there since 2003.

"Being down there in that atmosphere really helped me take it to the next level and prepare me for coming here and preparing me for Greece," he said in a press release.

In Kunkel's qualifying trial run, she placed 10 points behind first place finisher Kimiko Soldati. She had a close encounter with Michelle Davison but managed to stay ahead by four points. Finishing sixth or better assures the women a spot on the national team and eligibility for international competitions.

Kunkel said she knows what it takes to be hard working and give it her all.

"I know what I want in life and I'm not afraid to do what it takes to achieve my goals," she said in a press release. "But at the same time, I am able to adapt and accept change."

Taking off time from being a labor and delivery nurse for has paid off for Kunkel.

"It's high energy," Kunkel said in a press release. "Mostly the nurses are fun to work with. It's awesome, and you get to see miracles every day."

Both Kunkel and Wilcock's berths to the U.S. Olympic Team are subject to final approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee.



Copyright Brigham Young University 21 Jun 2004