During the Diving Olympic trials last weekend, Troy Dumais dove for the last time in competition. Dumais is an Olympic veteran, having competed in four Olympics. At 36, he is older than much of his competition. This trials was his last and final run, if he made the team he would have retired after the Olympics and if not, he said he would retire after the trials.

Throughout the six rounds of diving, Dumais did not reach the number of points he needed to be competitive for the Olympic team, so during his last round (or last dive for those of us less versed in diving lingo) he broke down into tears. Along with the tears came a standing ovation from the crowd, as he waved at them, dried his tears and prepared for his final dive. Personally, I thought his dive looked flawless, to which I would attribute to his years of dedication to the sport. Once out of the water, he looks to the crowd and waves to the crowd standing up for him one last time. If this doesn’t give you a good visual image, watch the video here.

Personally, I got chills. If you did not get chills, then I don’t know what will get you jazzed. Why is Troy Dumais’s last dive so important? Because Troy Dumais can teach all athletes a thing or two.

Dedication:

I cannot even imagine competing on the highest level in diving for at least 16 years. His dedication to the sport and to the United States shows that he has what it takes to be a role model for current divers and new divers alike, but not only for divers but also for athletes on any level. His relationship with the sport is so much more than just being an athlete, it is his lifestyle and he has built his career around it.

Perseverance:

Dumais has only ever won one Olympic medal. Now I’ve personally never won a medal in the Olympics or even been close to making the Olympic trials, but for participating in four Olympic games, one medal is not a lot. He persevered through three games and injuries to get to his ultimate goal, a medal and a chance to get on the podium.

Humility:

Was Dumais mad he did not make his fifth Olympic team? Possibly, but that is not what the crowd saw and that is not what the viewers saw. What we saw was probably some disappointment, but most of all sadness that his diving career is over.I don’t want to speak for him, but it was probably a happy sadness, if that makes sense. There is no way that you can come off an amazing career like his and not be proud of your accomplishments. Gracious to those who had gotten a place on the Olympic team, Dumais exemplifies humility that many athletes have not yet mastered. He did not throw his towel down in anger and the smile on his face proves that he was grateful to be supported by so many people. He later commented, “What a way to go out, huh? A standing ovation in front of my family,” via the Associated Press.

What we all need to remember is that we cannot do our sport forever. Whether we “retire” after high school, college or even a professional career, we will always have that special place in our heart for our sport. Sure, you may not cry at your last race, game performance or match, but you don’t have to. Look back on the fun times you have had, all the hilarious moments at practice, the lifelong friends and all the lessons learned and be thankful you had them. With my senior swim season coming up, I’m already feeling the emotions that he must have felt during that last dive and I haven’t even started in-season practice yet.

Thank you Troy Dumais for giving all athletes a positive role model to look to as they come to the end of their careers. You are an inspiration to all!