Wednesday, July 6th – The New Zealand Olympic Committee selected Elizabeth Cui, an 18-year-old who just completed her freshman year at Louisiana State University.
Lizzie will be competing at the Olympic games in Rio this summer in the Women’s 3 Meter Individual Springboard.
The Auckland native has been diving since she was 8 years old. All the hard work and dedication had paid off for her in February when she competed at the Olympic Test Event in Rio. There, she placed high enough to be considered by FINA to compete at the Olympics.
After receiving an invite by FINA for the Olympic games, it was up to her country to select her as a member on the Olympic roster.
And this week the invite, support and dreams came to fruition.
“All the sweat and hard work over the past 10 years has never felt more satisfying” she stated during our interview.
Prior to Lizzie’s selection, there had not been a New Zealand diver representing New Zealand in the Olympics since 1992.
The last diver to represent the country was in Barcelona, 1992- which was 5 years before Lizzie was even born. The last 3m diver was in 1984 in Lost Angeles.
For Lizzie, ever since she was 8 years old and first competing, a chance to compete in the Olympic games was always on her mind.
She shared “it has been my dream to represent my country at the Olympic Games and for this opportunity to come so early in my career is absolutely a dream come true.”
Her excitement is shared throughout her country as the New Zealand Board member and Rio 2016 Olympic diving judge Simon Laitmer said “we [New Zealand] look forward to supporting her all the way to Rio and are excited by what the future holds for her.”
Lizzie feels the support coming from all angles, “without the support from diving New Zealand, and the coaches past and present, I wouldn’t be in the spot I am in today. I am excited to represent on only my country but also LSU in Rio this August.”
Lizzie will compete on August 12th, 2016, which is also her 19th birthday.